Latest news with #SaintCatherine
eNCA
2 days ago
- Politics
- eNCA
Egypt denies court ruling threatens historic monastery
Egypt and Greece sought to ease tensions over the historic St Catherine's monastery in the Sinai peninsula on Friday after a controversial court ruling said it sat on state-owned land. Cairo has denied that the ruling threatens the UNESCO world heritage landmark, after Greek and church authorities warned of the sacred site's status. St Catherine's monastery was established in the sixth century at the biblical site of the burning bush in the southern mountains of the Sinai peninsula, and is the world's oldest continually inhabited Christian monastery. A court in Sinai ruled on Wednesday in a land dispute between the monastery and the South Sinai governorate that the monastery "is entitled to use" the land, which "the state owns as public property". But on Friday, in a phone call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Cairo was "fully committed to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine's monastery, and ensuring it is not violated". The Greek premier's office said Mitsotakis emphasised the importance of "preserving the pilgrimage and Greek Orthodox character of the monastery and resolving the issue in an institutional manner", based on an agreement between the two countries. A Greek delegation is due to visit Egypt next week, the government in Athens said. Sisi's office has defended the court ruling, saying that it "consolidates" the site's sacred status, after the head of the Greek Orthodox church in Greece denounced it. - Tourism development - Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens called the court ruling "scandalous" and an infringement by Egyptian judicial authoriities of religious freedoms. He said the decision means "the oldest Orthodox Christian monument in the world, the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai, now enters a period of severe trial -- one that evokes much darker times in history". The Saint Catherine area, which includes the eponymous town and a nature reserve, is undergoing mass development under a controversial government megaproject aimed at bringing in mass tourism. Observers say the project has harmed the reserve's ecosystem and threatened both the monastery and the local community. Archbishop Ieronymos warned that the monastery's property would now be "seized and confiscated", despite "recent pledges to the contrary by the Egyptian President to the Greek Prime Minister". Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis contacted his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Thursday, saying "there was no room for deviation from the agreements between the two parties", the ministry's spokesperson said. In a statement to Egypt's state news agency, the foreign ministry in Cairo later said rumours of confiscation were "unfounded", and that the ruling "does not infringe at all" on the monastery's sites or its religious and spiritual significance. Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said "Greece will express its official position ... when the official and complete content of the court decision is known and evaluated".
Int'l Business Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Egypt Denies Court Ruling Threatens Historic Monastery
Egypt and Greece sought to ease tensions over the historic St Catherine's monastery in the Sinai peninsula on Friday after a controversial court ruling said it sat on state-owned land. Cairo has denied that the ruling threatens the UNESCO world heritage landmark, after Greek and church authorities warned of the sacred site's status. St Catherine's monastery was established in the sixth century at the biblical site of the burning bush in the southern mountains of the Sinai peninsula, and is the world's oldest continually inhabited Christian monastery. A court in Sinai ruled on Wednesday in a land dispute between the monastery and the South Sinai governorate that the monastery "is entitled to use" the land, which "the state owns as public property". But on Friday, in a phone call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Cairo was "fully committed to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine's monastery, and ensuring it is not violated". The Greek premier's office said Mitsotakis emphasised the importance of "preserving the pilgrimage and Greek Orthodox character of the monastery and resolving the issue in an institutional manner", based on an agreement between the two countries. A Greek delegation is due to visit Egypt next week, the government in Athens said. Sisi's office has defended the court ruling, saying that it "consolidates" the site's sacred status, after the head of the Greek Orthodox church in Greece denounced it. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens called the court ruling "scandalous" and an infringement by Egyptian judicial authoriities of religious freedoms. He said the decision means "the oldest Orthodox Christian monument in the world, the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai, now enters a period of severe trial -- one that evokes much darker times in history". The Saint Catherine area, which includes the eponymous town and a nature reserve, is undergoing mass development under a controversial government megaproject aimed at bringing in mass tourism. Observers say the project has harmed the reserve's ecosystem and threatened both the monastery and the local community. Archbishop Ieronymos warned that the monastery's property would now be "seized and confiscated", despite "recent pledges to the contrary by the Egyptian President to the Greek Prime Minister". Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis contacted his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Thursday, saying "there was no room for deviation from the agreements between the two parties", the ministry's spokesperson said. In a statement to Egypt's state news agency, the foreign ministry in Cairo later said rumours of confiscation were "unfounded", and that the ruling "does not infringe at all" on the monastery's sites or its religious and spiritual significance. Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said "Greece will express its official position ... when the official and complete content of the court decision is known and evaluated". He confirmed both countries' commitment to "maintaining the Greek Orthodox religious character of the monastery".
France 24
2 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Egypt denies court ruling threatens historic monastery
A court in Sinai ruled on Wednesday in a land dispute between the monastery and the South Sinai governorate that the monastery "is entitled to use" the land, which "the state owns as public property". President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's office defended the ruling Thursday, saying it "consolidates" the site's "unique and sacred religious status", after the head of the Greek Orthodox church in Greece denounced it. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens called the court ruling "scandalous" and an infringement by Egyptian judicial authoriities of religious freedoms. He said the decision means "the oldest Orthodox Christian monument in the world, the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai, now enters a period of severe trial -- one that evokes much darker times in history". Sisi's office in a statement said it "reiterates its full commitment to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine's monastery and preventing its violation". The monastery was established in the sixth century at the biblical site of the burning bush in the southern mountains of the Sinai peninsula, and is the world's oldest continually inhabited Christian monastery. The Saint Catherine area, which includes the eponymous town and a nature reserve, is undergoing mass development under a controversial government megaproject aimed at bringing in mass tourism. Observers say the project has harmed the reserve's ecosystem and threatened both the monastery and the local community. Archbishop Ieronymos warned that the monastery's property would now be "seized and confiscated", despite "recent pledges to the contrary by the Egyptian President to the Greek Prime Minister". Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis contacted his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Thursday, saying "there was no room for deviation from the agreements between the two parties", the ministry's spokesperson said. In a statement to Egypt's state news agency, the foreign ministry in Cairo later said rumours of confiscation were "unfounded", and that the ruling "does not infringe at all" on the monastery's sites or its religious and spiritual significance. Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said "Greece will express its official position ... when the official and complete content of the court decision is known and evaluated".
Arab News
2 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Egypt denies court ruling threatens historic monastery
CAIRO: Egypt has denied that a controversial court ruling over Sinai's Saint Catherine monastery threatens the UNESCO world heritage landmark, after Greek and church authorities warned of the sacred site's status. A court in Sinai ruled on Wednesday in a land dispute between the monastery and the South Sinai governorate that the monastery 'is entitled to use' the land, which 'the state owns as public property.' President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's office defended the ruling Thursday, saying it 'consolidates' the site's 'unique and sacred religious status,' after the head of the Greek Orthodox church in Greece denounced it. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens called the court ruling 'scandalous' and an infringement by Egyptian judicial authorities of religious freedoms. He said the decision means 'the oldest Orthodox Christian monument in the world, the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai, now enters a period of severe trial — one that evokes much darker times in history.' El-Sisi's office in a statement said it 'reiterates its full commitment to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine's monastery and preventing its violation.' The monastery was established in the sixth century at the biblical site of the burning bush in the southern mountains of the Sinai peninsula, and is the world's oldest continually inhabited Christian monastery. The Saint Catherine area, which includes the eponymous town and a nature reserve, is undergoing mass development under a controversial government megaproject aimed at bringing in mass tourism. Observers say the project has harmed the reserve's ecosystem and threatened both the monastery and the local community. Archbishop Ieronymos warned that the monastery's property would now be 'seized and confiscated,' despite 'recent pledges to the contrary by the Egyptian President to the Greek Prime Minister.' Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis contacted his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Thursday, saying 'there was no room for deviation from the agreements between the two parties,' the ministry's spokesperson said. In a statement to Egypt's state news agency, the foreign ministry in Cairo later said rumors of confiscation were 'unfounded,' and that the ruling 'does not infringe at all' on the monastery's sites or its religious and spiritual significance. Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said 'Greece will express its official position ... when the official and complete content of the court decision is known and evaluated.' He confirmed both countries' commitment to 'maintaining the Greek Orthodox religious character of the monastery.'
See - Sada Elbalad
3 days ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Egypt Denies Confiscation Claims Related to Saint Catherine Monastery
H-Tayea On Thursday, Egypt firmly rejected recent claims suggesting the confiscation of land belonging to the historic Saint Catherine's Monastery in South Sinai, reaffirming its full commitment to safeguarding the Monastery's unique religious status and spiritual sanctity. The Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have both issued strong statements clarifying the facts surrounding the recent court ruling issued on May 28. The Presidency reaffirmed Egypt's unwavering dedication to protecting the sacred standing of Saint Catherine's Monastery, noting that the court's decision consolidates this status and is in full alignment with the principles President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi emphasized during his recent visit to Athens on May 7. The Presidency also underlined the importance of preserving the deeply rooted and fraternal relations between Egypt and Greece, stressing that these historic ties must not be undermined by misinformation. In parallel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the court ruling does not affect the Monastery, its surrounding archaeological and religious sites, or its legal and spiritual status. Rather, the ruling marks the first official legal recognition of the Monastery's standing, affirming its historical and cultural significance and confirming the monks' continued right to use and access the religious areas. The statement explained that while some additional areas near the Monastery are located within designated natural reserves and had previously been subject to contracts with local authorities, the court ruled in favor of allowing continued religious use of these spaces in respect of the Monastery's spiritual importance. As for remote, uninhabited land parcels far from the Monastery and with no documented ownership, the court deemed them public state property. These lands, the statement affirmed, have no bearing on the Monastery's operations or holdings. Egypt called for responsible and accurate reporting and urged all parties to consult the full court text before making judgments. Officials emphasized that safeguarding the sacred character of Saint Catherine's Monastery is not only a national commitment but also a reflection of Egypt's respect for its historical and cultural partnerships — particularly with Greece. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks
