On May 28, 2025, an Egyptian administrative court ruled that the St. Catherine’s Monastery, one of the world’s oldest Christian monastic centers, should be put under direct state ownership. Though described as a legal clarification, the decision has triggered diplomatic concern, fueling debate over religious heritage, sovereignty, and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. Islamists began the legal dispute more than a decade ago.
Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike respect the sixth-century monastery located at the foot of Mount Sinai. For centuries, Greek Orthodox monks have operated it autonomously, enjoying a stable relationship with Egyptian authorities. However, the court’s decision that the monastery’s land and buildings belong to the state and that the monks have only limited usage rights has worried Greece, Cyprus, and others with ties to Orthodox heritage.
The decision has triggered diplomatic concern, fueling debate over religious heritage, sovereignty, and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Church of Greece condemned the decision as a threat to religious heritage. In response, the Greek government dispatched diplomats to Cairo to seek assurances, while the monastery’s monks temporarily closed the site in protest. Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis met with his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo, followed by broader talks involving senior Greek officials from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Culture, and Education.
According to diplomatic sources, both Egyptian and Greek representatives expressed willingness to find a solution. Official Egyptian statements emphasize the protection of the monastery’s religious character, while avoiding reference to ownership. Both Cairo and Athens recognize that further deterioration in their bilateral relationship would serve neither country’s interests. Moreover, Greece’s broader role as a diplomatic bridge between Egypt and European institutions depends in part on the ability to navigate such sensitive issues with care.
Yet the dispute is not merely a legal matter. The implications reach into both Egypt’s domestic politics and its foreign relations. While Egypt aims to maintain its image as a religiously tolerant and reliable partner, the court ruling may strain its traditionally close ties with Greece and Cyprus, both of which have cultural and religious connections to the monastery.
The motivations behind Cairo’s decision appear geopolitical. Egypt seeks to maintain leverage not only with the Christian and Muslim worlds but also with Israel, which has long shown interest in the monastery. The timing is notable: The court ruling coincided with reports—subsequently denied by Cairo—that Egypt was considering the temporary relocation of up to 500,000 Gaza residents to northern Sinai as part of reconstruction efforts. At the same time, regional crises in Gaza, Israel, and Sudan, as well as domestic challenges and Egypt’s relationship with Turkey, have created a perfect storm for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s government.
Athens’s position has remained consistent: Any solution must be based on a prior understanding between the two governments.
Egypt’s move reflects a desire to strengthen its bargaining position in an unstable region. In response, Athens’s position has remained consistent: Any solution must be based on a prior understanding between the two governments, publicly acknowledged by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Sisi in 2023, which recognized the monastery’s ownership rights.
In the short term, Greece’s goal should be the reversal of the decision; in the medium term, Athens should pursue, through a bilateral agreement, recognition as a “protecting” and “co-guarantor” power for the autonomous monastery.
For the United States, St. Catherine challenges the desire to protect religious autonomy and cultural heritage without jeopardizing strategic and diplomatic relations with Cairo. The most effective approach would be diplomatic engagement via high-level dialogue, support for interfaith initiatives, and coordination with European partners to reach a solution that respects both Egyptian sovereignty and the unique character of the monastery.
The case of St. Catherine’s Monastery fits into a broader pattern of state intervention in religious and cultural sites of international significance. Similar developments have taken place with both the Hagia Sophia in Turkey and Ukraine, in which disputes over church property form part of wider national confrontation. St. Catherine’s Monastery has survived centuries of upheaval. This legal episode, though more peaceful than past crises, could have consequences far more lasting.
