Struggling in Sinai

St. Catherine’s Monastery sits at the foot of Mount Sinai. It was founded in the 6th century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian and is the oldest operating Christian monastery in the world. It was built on what is believed to be the site where God appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush. The monastery also contains the well where it is believed that Moses met his wife Zipporah (and still serves as the monastery’s main source of water).

The name St. Catherine refers to Catherine of Alexandria the 4th century martyr whose relics are at the monastery. The full name of the monastery is the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of St. Catherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai. It is one of the most sacred sites of scripture, and throughout the land passing through various political changes (Egyptian, Roman, Ottoman, British, Israeli, etc), the monks of St. Catherine’s have always been there, praying and maintaining the site.

The monks are known for their ancient icons and for the world’s oldest continuously operating library, which includes the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th-century Greek Bible, and the Syriac Sinaiticus, the oldest copy of the Gospels in Syriac.

In the 7th century, the Islamic prophet Muhammad granted the monastery a charter, known as the Ashtiname (or Testament) of Muhammad, guaranteeing protection to its inhabitants. According to monastery tradition, Muhammad frequented the site and had a great relationship and deep discussions with the Sinai monks.

The area has become a pilgrimage site for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. All three share the story of Moses and the receiving of the Ten Commandants on the mountain. The monastery chapel houses a rock which is considered to be the source of the tablets of the Ten Commandments. At the summit of the mountain is a cave considered where Moses waited before receiving the Commandments from God. A mosque also sits at the summit of the mountain behind the monastery. 

In 1980, as part of Israeli withdrawal from the region, the Egyptian government asked property owners whose land was not already listed in an official registry to file proof of ownership. St. Catherine’s Monastery filed 71 declarations, covering its chapels, buildings, gardens, and other land, showing their continued presence and ownership of the land going back centuries. The Greek government even met with Sinai authorities to resolve the legal disputes, which dragged on for decades, while other land owners with less proof got their land registered.

A recent court decision in Egypt transferred the site to state ownership while granting the monks only usage rights. Orthodox Christians all over the world called out the court for setting a dangerous precedent, in which the religious order would be under the jurisdiction of the state. Further, if the monks temporarily leave for any reason (like political unrest) the state can come in and claim full use of the property. In protest, the monks have closed the monastery to visitors, which will hurt Sinai's large tourism industry.

I don’t know what the future holds for the monastery. I understand why people are worried, and I hope that an agreement is reached. It is not the first time sacred places have been politicized or caught up in legal/bureaucratic struggles. But it is always sad to see, nevertheless.