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1500 YEAR OLD SINAI MONASTERY PART OF A 'SPIRITUAL THEME PARK'

"Greek Orthodox clergy are calling on the faithful to pray for the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine of Sinai as negotiations continue between Greece and Egypt over the monastery’s property rights following a recent Egyptian court decision. His Eminence Archbishop Damianos of Sinai, Pharan, and Raitho made an appeal from Heraklion, Crete, on Pentecost Sunday, asking "all Greek brothers to pray for the holy monastery so that a miracle may be achieved by God." The Archbishop was attending services at the Mt. Sinai Dependency of St. Matthew in Heraklion, where he was joined by Archbishop Eugenios of Crete in a show of support, reports the Orthodoxia News Agency." (Source)


July 22, 2023 Stereoma Fims: Holy Ground - St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai with Fr. Justin Sinaites.

The call comes a week after a Greek delegation, made up of officials from various ministries was sent to Egypt to discuss the status of the Saint Katherine's Monastery in Sinai with their Egyptian counter parts. The dispute over the Monastery does not seem to have pored cold water on the warm relationship between the officials. 


"Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made his first public statement on the matter Sunday, writing that Greece’s position "is clear and identical to that of the historic monastery." He noted Egyptian assurances for the monastery’s continued operation and said the goal is "to resolve the issue in a fair and definitive way and to continue the strategically important cooperation between the two countries."

In the meantime it transpired that the Egyptian designs on the Greek Monastery are part of a plan known as the "Great Transfiguration" which aims to transform the area into a sort of spiritual theme park, attracting upwards of a million tourists annually.

Here's what my AI reports back from a deep dive into a myriad of reports in the mainstream media. Note the concerns are for the eco system. The monastery is some kind of unfortunate collateral damage. 

"The Saint Catherine area in Egypt, which includes the eponymous town and a nature reserve, is undergoing a government megaproject known as the "Great Transfiguration" of Saint Catherine. This project, initiated in March 2021, aims to transform the area into a fully integrated tourist destination, with the goal of attracting upwards of a million tourists annually. The construction includes an events hall, hundreds of hotel rooms, and a new residential area with hundreds of units.

"However, the project has faced significant criticism and opposition. Observers and environmental groups, such as World Heritage Watch, argue that the development has harmed the ecosystem of the nature reserve and threatens both the monastery and the local community. UNESCO has also expressed concern, requesting that Egypt halt further development projects, conduct an impact evaluation, and develop a conservation plan."

"The local Jabaliya tribe, descendants of the Roman soldiers who once guarded the monastery, have been calling for better infrastructure, including reliable water supply, emergency services, and telecommunications coverage, to improve their work and daily life. Despite these needs, the tribe is currently outnumbered by the thousands of laborers building the megaproject."

External reading
Greek Reporter The Future of the Greek Orthodox Sinai Monastery Hangs in the Balance



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