Egypt's St Catherine's Monastery agrees to sign land agreement
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Egypt's foreign minister has received a letter from Archbishop Symeon approving a contract covering St Catherine's Monastery and the surrounding land, with the agreement to be signed once a ceremony date is set.
Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty received a letter on Saturday from Archbishop Symeon of St Catherine's Monastery approving a contract on the monastery and the surrounding land, the Egyptian Gazette reported.
The agreement is expected to be formally signed once a date is set for the signing ceremony. The move is intended to implement a ruling issued by the Ismailia Court of Appeal on May 25, 2025, in full compliance with Egyptian law, and to bring all related legal proceedings to an end.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ambassador Nader Zaki said Abdelatty welcomed the letter and reaffirmed Egypt's pride in St Catherine's Monastery, one of the world's oldest religious and cultural heritage sites. The minister said Egypt had protected the monastery for more than 1,600 years and reiterated the state's commitment to safeguarding the site and preserving its spiritual and religious status.
The monastery is one of the world's oldest religious and cultural heritage sites, according to the foreign ministry. No date has yet been set for the signing ceremony that would formally conclude the agreement.