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EVICTION OF ST KATHERINE'S MONASTERY STEMS FROM 'ARAB SPRING'

The Greek Orthodox world seems to be beleaguered from all sides at the moment. Having just commemorated the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 on May 29, a day later the news broke that the monks at 1500 year old Saint Katherine's Monastery in Sinai may be dispossessed and evicted following a verdict of an Egyptian court. We posted some of the details yesterday (link). On top of that, the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople and the new Pope of Rome are conspiring to bring the modernist, liberal heresy of ecumenism upon us. 


External reading
The National Herald: How the situation with the Greek Orthodox St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, can go wrong

"Archbishop Damianos of Sinai, Pharan, and Raitho, and Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai, spoke exclusively to Τhe National Herald about the recent developments at the Monastery, which have reached the brink of “eviction” as a result of an Egyptian court ruling that considers him and the entire Sinai Brotherhood as “squatters,” disregarding their fifteen-century-long presence there.

"For over ten years now, we have been in and out of court, because our right of ownership over this barren land—which we always considered ours, handed down to us by sanctified individuals—is being denied. On one hand, these are holy places visited by people from around the world, from which the Egyptian government benefits; yet they do not wish to recognize them as our property."

Note what is the root of this disaster! It stems from the time when the Muslim Brotherhood was running Egypt. Just to remind ourselves how that happened during the Obama presidency when Hillary Clinton was running amok over the Middle East, triggering 'Arab Springs" all over the place, in effect bringing the Muslim Brotherhood to power. 

As a reminder, the five places where the Muslims Brotherhood was in power, was in Turkey, Gaza, Sudan, Qatar and Egypt. Just so we remember what the root is of this outrage! 

His Eminence continues:

"It is judicial manipulation. Back in 1980, the government declared that in areas without a land registry, property owners should file declarations. The Monastery was among the first to submit such declarations—for everything: small gardens, chapels. In total, we submitted 71 files and received a receipt of acknowledgment.

"We waited for the committee to come and confirm our ownership. Others with far more land were granted ownership. But we received nothing. Twenty years later, the Egyptian state tells us it’s too much, or this or that excuse—and in the end, we were given nothing. Now they tell us: ‘You have no right to be here; you are newcomers,’ when we have lived in Sinai since the sixth century.”

It seems that the confiscation of the monastery is part of the tourist development of the area with hotels, villas, chalets, shopping centers, and heaven known what else. 

Greek Englsh language newspaper Kathimerinin is reporting that "a comprehensive agreement that would have ended a prolonged legal dispute (...) remains unsigned, leaving the ancient Orthodox Christian site’s future uncertain.

"The draft agreement and settlement contract was finalized in late December following extensive negotiations between Major General Dr Khaled Moubarak Hussein Bakri, Governor of South Sinai, and Archbishop Damianos, the monastery’s legal representative under Presidential Decree 306 of 1974. 

"The agreement explicitly recognized the monastery’s ownership rights, stating that the parties agree that, according to the registration of Saint Catherine’s Monastery on the World Heritage List, the monastery, its buildings, its plots, churches and related buildings constitute property of the monastery belonging to the Greek Orthodox Doctrine. Central to the proposed settlement was acknowledgment of the site’s UNESCO World Heritage status, granted in 2002.

"The Egyptian state recognized the area’s historical significance and cultural heritage dating to the 4th century. Under draft terms, the monastery would maintain autonomy in managing its internal, administrative and religious affairs without external interference. The abbot would oversee all activities while cooperating with Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities for building conservation.

"The unsigned agreement was referenced during Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s recent visit to Athens. Sources within the Sinaitic community suggest the signing delay was intentional, allowing the court decision to create new, unfavorable circumstances for the monastery. (Source)


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