The situation at Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai has reached a critical point, as the monks who were expelled yesterday after their failed coup remain outside the gate and are attempting to re-enter the monastery.
Archbishop of Sinai Damianos has appealed to the Egyptian authorities to take action for their removal, denouncing threats against his life as well as moves to launch legal proceedings against him. According to the Archbishop’s associates, he remains inside the Monastery, while the insurgents are continuously calling on supporters and trying, with shouting and pressure, to force their way back in. The same sources note that although the Egyptian police are present near the site, so far they have not intervened to remove them.
On the contrary, according to testimonies, officials in contact with the authorities are said to have advised the Archbishop and the brotherhood to allow the return of the rebels, something that has caused grave concern for the safety of the monastic compound and the smooth running of its functions.
The crisis at Sinai Monastery is developing into an issue with serious religious, institutional, and diplomatic ramifications, given the historic significance of the monastery and the need to safeguard its unhindered operation.
The “equal distances” of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem intensify the crisis at Sinai Monastery
Meanwhile, adding “fuel to the fire” of the crisis that has erupted at Saint Catherine’s Monastery of Sinai is the ambiguous announcement of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, following the visit of its delegation to the Monastery.
The announcement, issued from Jerusalem, mainly seeks to assert its canonical jurisdiction over the Monastery and, by keeping equal distances, essentially did not condemn the coup carried out against the Monastery’s abbot, Archbishop Damianos.
The content of the announcement reveals the decision of the Patriarch of Jerusalem to pursue control of the Monastery, although traditionally the Patriarchate’s relationship with Saint Catherine’s was limited to the ordination of each new Abbot. In cases where there was a refusal, ordination was then carried out by the Ecumenical Patriarch. The communiqué is accompanied by a photograph of the delegation with the monks of the Monastery, while the photograph from their meeting with Archbishop Damianos, the Monastery’s Abbot, was deliberately omitted.
See video with the message of Archbishop Damianos:
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Source: Proto Thema
