Hot News from Egypt: Saint Catherine’s Monastery has reopened to visitors

Sometimes an individual has no concern for high politics. Yet high politics inevitably concerns each of us. For instance, a tourist may find himself standing at the gates of a cultural site, unable to enter, precisely because of the twists and turns of that high politics…

The reference is to Saint Catherine’s Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai (Mount Moses) and to the ongoing situation since August 26, with repeated cancellations of excursions to the monastery. This site is both a traditional place of pilgrimage for countless believers and a true magnet for history enthusiasts from all over the world.

Today, the issue of visiting the monastery has been resolved. We are pleased to share the details.

We are always delighted to offer our guests in Egypt excursions that include a visit to Saint Catherine’s Monastery. This can be experienced as part of a comprehensive eight-day religious tour, which also features visits to the remarkable churches of Old Cairo, a journey to Wadi El Natrun — the cradle of monasticism and much more. Alternatively, a pilgrimage to St. Catherine’s Monastery may be arranged as a standalone excursion, for example combined with an ascent of Mount Moses to witness the sunrise from its summit.

Such journeys offer far more than the chance to see legendary sites, they provide a truly transformative spiritual experience. And just imagine the disappointment of preparing to visit an ancient monastery with an unbroken tradition of worship, only to find its doors closed… 

Founded in the 4th century, with its fortified complex built by order of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, the monastery recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has recently been shaken by serious upheavals. The holy monastery has found itself at the center of a major dispute involving the official authorities of two countries and the former head of the autonomous Sinai Orthodox Church, Archbishop of Sinai, Pharan and Raithu Damianos. At stake is control over much of the land that has belonged to the monastery for centuries.

On May 28 of this year, Egypt’s Court of Appeal ruled that the monastery holds only a ‘right of use’ over its land and religious archaeological sites. Our source in Egypt provided the following account of how the situation has been unfolding:

«The Egyptian court ruled that ownership of the monastery’s lands remains with the state. Other disputed areas were designated as nature reserves, not subject to alienation or privatization. Following this decision, reports began to circulate claiming that the Egyptian authorities intended to vacate the monastery and transfer the land to investors.

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs intervened, stressing the need to continue coordination with Cairo in order to preserve the Orthodox character of the region. The Greek Foreign Minister contacted his Egyptian counterpart, voicing objections to any actions taken outside the framework of existing agreements.

At the same time, internal disagreements between the monks and Archbishop Damianos escalated, but the conflict was ultimately resolved through the prudent intervention of representatives from Greece and Egypt». 

According to the Egyptian representative of our group of companies, although «no official statement has yet been issued, the crisis has been resolved, and the monastery, which had been temporarily closed to visitors, has once again opened its doors».

And we are pleased to confirm this information not merely in words. Excursions to Saint Catherine’s Monastery organized by Carthage Group are proceeding successfully: on September 11, the holy site was visited by two groups of travelers — 14 and 17 persons respectively, arriving in Sharm El Sheikh from Bulgaria with our partner tour operator, Emerald Travel.

We are publishing photo and video evidence of the successful resolution of this crisis. We wish all tourists in Egypt an excellent holiday filled with unforgettable experiences!