Concerns raised by WCC regarding ownership and authority over St. Catherine's Monastery in Egypt's Sinai peninsula
In a recent turn of events, the monks of St. Catherine's Monastery, located at the foot of Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, find themselves in a new role as tenants within their own monastery. This change in status, resulting from a court decision on May 28, 2025, has significantly altered their position and potentially threatens the uninterrupted operation of the monastery, which has been in operation for an impressive 1,500 years.
Built between 548 and 565 by order of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, St. Catherine's Monastery is a World Heritage site, recognised as such in 2002. The monastery is an autonomous monastic community spiritually connected with the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
The court decision, however, has placed the monks' tenancy under the discretion of the Egyptian authorities. The authorities hold the power to not renew the monks' residence permits at any time, and the permits do not grant the monks permanent or secure tenure. This precarious nature of their presence in the monastery is a cause for concern, not just for the monks, but also for the World Council of Churches, which has expressed its worries about the ownership of the site.
Since 2012, there has been a history of litigation by Egyptian government authorities claiming ownership of sites belonging to the monastery. Despite constructive negotiations, a court decision was issued recognising the Egyptian state as the owner of all parts of the site, including the Holy Monastery itself.
St. Catherine's Monastery, home to a vast collection of ancient manuscripts and religious icons, has operated without interruption for 1,500 years. Its precarious status, however, poses a potential threat to this long-standing tradition. The monastery's continued operation relies, in part, on the stability of the monks' residence permits, a source of instability in itself due to the court decision.
As tenants in their own monastery, the monks of St. Catherine's Monastery now find themselves in a unique position. The monastery, a symbol of enduring faith and history, continues to stand strong, but its future remains uncertain.
