Archbishop Damianos of Sinai and Fr. Porphyrios, the monastery’s Diakos, after a Pentecost service in Heraklion, Crete (the Sinai Monastery dependency). Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr
UPDATE on the SINAI MONASTERY - NEW SIGN-UP PETITION Orthodox Leaders Call for Prayers as Sinai Monastery Property Dispute Continues
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Dear Friends, with a blessing of Archbishop Damianos of Sinai, a Petition has started. It hopes to achieve a higher number of signatures, for addressing government officials and Church leaders:
SAVE SAINT CATHERINE'S MONASTERY - THE TREASURE OF MULTI-FAITH PEACE! at
https://www.change.org/p/save-saint-catherine-s-monastery-the-treasure-of-multi-faith-peace
- Note: donations on this petition site go to the site itself - not the Monastery
Thank you for your prayers and support of St. Catherine's Monastery! Please, share!
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ORTHODOX LEADERS CALL FOR PRAYERS AS SINAI MONASTERY PROPERTY DISPUTE CONTINUES
Greek Orthodox clergy are calling on the faithful to pray for the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine of Sinai as negotiations continue between Greece and Egypt over the monastery’s property rights following a recent Egyptian court decision.
His Eminence Archbishop Damianos of Sinai, Pharan, and Raitho made an appeal from Heraklion, Crete, on Pentecost Sunday, asking “all Greek brothers to pray for the holy monastery so that a miracle may be achieved by God.” The Archbishop was attending services at the Mt. Sinai Dependency of St. Matthew in Heraklion, where he was joined by Archbishop Eugenios of Crete in a show of support, reports the Orthodoxia News Agency.
The call for prayers comes after a decision by the Ismailia Court of Appeals that has raised concerns about the monastery’s property status, prompting new negotiations between Greek and Egyptian officials to resolve pending issues.
Fr. Porphyrios Kanavakis, the monastery’s representative who hails from Sitia, Crete, expressed confidence in the Greek government while outlining the monks’ position. Asked what the monks are claiming, he resounded: “Our property. To know that these belong to the monastery.”
“Someone can’t come and dispute a garden you’ve built in front of the monastery, a guesthouse that’s in front of the monastery, and many other things.”
Fr. Porphyrios cited historical documents supporting the monastery’s claims, including the Ashtiname, a document from Mohammed giving explicit orders to protect the monastery. “There are seals, there are documents showing that Selim I the Sultan recognized the monastery’s privileges,” he said. “There are seals, documents which prove that all these belong to Sinai, and which the Egyptian government has ignored.”
The hieromonk also described practical concerns facing the religious community, noting that he has lived at the monastery for 32 years but must maintain a one-year visa that takes two months to process. “Somewhere they can tell you that since you don’t have a visa you can leave. These are things that people should know,” he said.
Regarding next steps, Fr. Porphyrios said the situation remains fluid: “It depends on what happens. Because we still have developments at this moment. The Greek government is in dialogue with the Egyptian one. They will exchange documents, delegations will come down again.” He emphasized the monks’ determination, stating: “We are determined to claim everything.”
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made his first public statement on the matter Sunday, writing that Greece’s position “is clear and identical to that of the historic monastery.” He noted Egyptian assurances for the monastery’s continued operation and said the goal is “to resolve the issue in a fair and definitive way and to continue the strategically important cooperation between the two countries.”
Source: Translation from https://orthochristian.com/170405.html, from the original article in Greek https://www.orthodoxianewsagency.gr/ieres-mones/ellines-proseyxitheite-gia-ti-moni-sina-to-minyma-tou-arxiepiskopou-damianou-apo-to-irakleio-kritis-vinteo/
