Greece and Egypt have committed to preserving the historic and spiritual status of St Catherine’s Monastery after a court ruling raised concerns about its future use and surrounding land.
Greece and Egypt have announced a joint commitment to protect the status of St Catherine's Monastery, one of the world's oldest Christian sites, following an Egyptian court decision that ordered Orthodox monks to vacate land near the monastery.
Located at the foot of Mount Sinai, St Catherine's Monastery dates back to the 6th century and remains in use for its original religious purpose. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the complex holds significant spiritual value for Christians, Muslims, and Jews. Tradition holds that it stands at the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments.
Tensions arose last week after a court ruling ordered the monks to leave adjacent vineyards and gardens, deemed to have been acquired unlawfully. The move triggered a diplomatic exchange between Cairo and Athens regarding the site's legal and religious protections.
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, following a meeting with Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in Cairo, confirmed the two countries’ agreement to uphold the monastery's rights and historic legal status. Gerapetritis emphasised the significance of the site’s Greek Orthodox identity.
Meanwhile, Abdelatty affirmed that the court decision does not affect the monastery's spiritual role. He confirmed that the monks would retain access to all religious and historical parts of the complex.
The monastery, which is also home to a vast collection of early Christian manuscripts, continues to symbolise a long-standing cultural and religious link between Egypt and Greece. Bilateral cooperation between the two nations has grown steadily in recent years.
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Türkiye has thrown its full support behind NATO’s new pledge to raise collective defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, with Ankara confirming it is already surpassing the previous 2% benchmark and accelerating efforts to bolster national and regional security.
The United Kingdom has withdrawn its support for a major renewable energy project that aimed to supply power from Morocco to Britain through underwater cables, citing concerns over security and delivery risks.
At least 29 students were killed and more than 250 injured in a stampede at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, authorities confirmed Thursday.
China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun has urged member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to push back collectively against what he called “hegemonic behaviour”, as defence ministers met for their annual summit in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao.
Türkiye has thrown its full support behind NATO’s new pledge to raise collective defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, with Ankara confirming it is already surpassing the previous 2% benchmark and accelerating efforts to bolster national and regional security.
The United Kingdom has withdrawn its support for a major renewable energy project that aimed to supply power from Morocco to Britain through underwater cables, citing concerns over security and delivery risks.
Greek firefighters are battling a large wildfire south of Athens as the country faces its first major heat wave of the summer, with temperatures nearing 40°C and strong winds fuelling the flames.
At least 29 students were killed and more than 250 injured in a stampede at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, authorities confirmed Thursday.
China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun has urged member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to push back collectively against what he called “hegemonic behaviour”, as defence ministers met for their annual summit in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao.
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