Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002347/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Emmanouil Kefalogiannis (PPE)
The Monastery of St Catherine on Mount Sinai, the oldest functioning Christian monastery in the world, is facing the risk of confiscation following a decision by an Egyptian court, provoking strong reactions at the international level.
The decision essentially assigns the Monastery to the Egyptian state, depriving it of the ownership status that has been in force since the Monastery was founded, some 1 500 years ago, by the Byzantine emperor Justinian.
In a statement, the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos condemned the specific decision ‘unequivocally’, expressing ‘immense sadness’ and ‘legitimate anger’ over the matter. At the same time, he has called for the mobilisation of every Greek and international authority, as ‘the property of the Monastery is being seized and confiscated, and this spiritual Beacon of Orthodoxy and Hellenism is now facing an existential threat’.
What actions does the Commission intend to take so that the oldest Christian monastery can continue its uninterrupted spiritual function and its property is not confiscated?
Submitted: 11.6.2025