Greek envoy sent to mediate Mount Sinai monastery crisis

The Greek government is working to resolve a growing crisis at Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, Egypt. Giorgos Kalantzis, Greece’s Secretary-General for Religious Affairs, was dispatched by senior government officials and arrived at the monastery on 1 September to mediate.

The crisis stems from a dispute between the Abbot, Archbishop Damianos, and a cohort of monks who oppose his leadership, with senior Eastern Orthodox officials publicly taking sides. The Ecumenical Patriarchate, led by Bartholomew I, the most senior Eastern Orthodox bishop, has publicly expressed support for Archbishop Damianos, referring to him as “the lawful and canonical archbishop and abbot”. However, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, led by Theophilos III, has sided with the dissenting monks.

The monks, in protest at the 91-year-old abbot’s leadership, claim that he has spent long periods outside the monastery, mainly in Athens, and that from 2018 onwards he did not spend more than a total of two or three months in residence. They also claim that he ignored “the functioning of the highest administrative authority of Sinai”, the Sinai Brotherhood, a council of senior monks responsible for administering and safeguarding the monastery’s spiritual and temporal governance. Furthermore, they allege that he kept a concubine, Ekaterina Spyropoulou, who appears to be the monastery’s secretary, and that she “would also systematically interfere in the administration and management of the monastery.” The monks also allege various financial and administrative abuses which, they say, left them with no other option than to publicly oppose his leadership.

According to reports, on 26 August, Archbishop Damianos returned to the monastery after an extended period of absence.

Archbishop Damianos alleges that after attempting to resolve the conflict between himself and the monks, he was attacked and had to be defended by monks loyal to his leadership. Shortly after the incident, he released a video stating: “My life is in danger. I appeal to the Greek and Egyptian governments to protect me.”

However, the expelled monks describe a very different version of events. In a letter published in Kathimerini, a daily newspaper based in Athens, 12 of the monks expelled by Archbishop Damianos describe him arriving with “thugs” who began “breaking doors and windows.” They claim the men also “beat the fathers, took away their mobile phones, took their money and other personal belongings,” while Archbishop Damianos “as another Nero” and his alleged concubine, Ekaterina Spyropoulou, watched on.

The monks further claim that the monastery was sealed with guards inside, where Archbishop Damianos convened a General Assembly in the presence of just five monks. At this assembly, a new Holy Synaxis—a monastic council—was elected. The monks say they were left to spend the night homeless outside the monastery walls.

The crisis comes at a difficult geopolitical moment for the monastery. A 28 May Egyptian court ruling stipulated that certain properties around the monastery now fall under state control, in what is seen as a challenge to the friendly diplomatic relationship between Egypt and Greece. At a meeting on 5 June, Greece and Egypt agreed to safeguard the status of the monastery, but tensions still remain.

It is reported that during Giorgos Kalantzis’ visit, Egyptian police were stationed outside to ensure safety. After 15 hours of talks, it is understood that Archbishop Damianos refused to accept a deal proposed by the Greek minister, which had been accepted by the opposing monks.

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