Finally, Greece is moving forward in the case of rescuing the Sinai Monastery . Because there are indeed strong evidences for the ownership status of the Sinai Monastery. Evidences that prove that the State of Egypt has recognized its property rights . Specifically, with the Presidential Decree , number 263 and dated November 26, 1979 , which was signed by the late President Anwar Sadat .
- “Estia” newspaper
This Presidential Decree was discovered in the Egyptian archives by Greek researchers who mobilized to save the Sinai Monastery, and according to information from “Estia” , its content was presented to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a telephone conversation they had the day before yesterday (23/6).
The archivists of the Sinai Monastery did what they had to do… so that the cultural and religious heritage of Greece could be protected. Fortunately, there are Greek patriots who take on the difficult tasks.
- We therefore quote Presidential Decree 263 in translation:
Presidential Decree No. 263 of 1979
President of the Arab Republic of Egypt (President Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat)
Date of issue: November 26, 1979
Subject: Determination of the ownership of the lands of the Monastery of Saint Catherine, located in the area of Mount Sinai in South Sinai.
Main text of the decision: “All lands surrounding the Monastery of St. Catherine – as specified in the attached topographic maps of this decision – are considered privately owned property of the Monastery and are managed under its full control, in accordance with historical firmans and previous decrees.”
Defined area: – Approximately 1,200 fountains (according to old topographic maps)
6. Legal basis: – Confirmation of the historical titles of ownership of the Monastery, in particular the Ottoman firman of 1609 during the reign of Sultan Ahmed I.
Article 1: The State recognizes the Monastery of Saint Catherine as the mistress of all the lands surrounding it – as determined on the attached topographic maps – in accordance with its historical rights and the sultanic firmans.
Article 2: All administrative authorities must not intervene or dispose of the said areas in any way.
Article 3: This decision shall be published in the Government Gazette. President of the Republic: Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat
November 26, 1979
- The researchers also cite the sources for obtaining the official text, which are:
- The Official Gazette of the Government of Egypt: – Issue of November 29, 1979 (No. 48 – Supplement)
- How to search: – Visit the Newspaper Archive (Address: 111 Al-Qasr Aini Street, Cairo)
- Library of the Monastery of Saint Catherine: – It keeps an authentic copy of the decision among its historical documents.
- Ministry of Justice of Egypt (Documentation Department): – Possibility of requesting a certified copy with decision number and date.
- Council of State of Egypt: – The decision is kept in the archives of cases related to the properties of monasteries (Technical Department)
The decision was reportedly issued following President Sadat’s visit to the Monastery in 1979 , at the same time as the signing of the Peace Agreement with Israel, which returned Sinai to Egyptian sovereignty. It underscored the commitment to protecting the Christian heritage in Sinai as a symbol of peace.
This decree constitutes a modern title deed , added to the Ottoman firmans, and can be used as evidence in current legal disputes.
“Estia” in an article on June 16 had warned President Sisi that he should not underestimate Hellenism, pointing out that there are points that perhaps he himself is not aware of . We mentioned at the time, among other things:
“Obviously, the Greek government is aware of these Egyptian proposals, and that is why it is behaving in this way. However, what neither it nor the Egyptian government is aware of are some forgotten legal documents that Egypt has not remembered having submitted to international organizations recently, unknown to it, which fully confirm the claims of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine. The time will come when they will be made public, and let us see then what the reaction of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be…”
Good news!
So nobody “remembered” this 1979 decree…the Greek government, the Egyptian courts, and not even the monks or the attorneys they hired? Only a Greek newspaper (and its sources) remembered? Something doesn’t add up here..
Either way, these Egyptian “presidential decrees” come and go, overruling prior “decrees”, and they are not always favorable…does anyone remember how the Greeks were thrown out of Egypt by Abdel Nasser’s “decree” against foreigners?
Yes. Decrees indeed are flexible in that they can be changed discarded and altogether disregarded. Perhaps …and it’s only a guess ..if a decree was instituted into a constitution it might have credibility and force but history has shown even constitutions are ‘flexible’ and easily torn asunder. The “goodwill” of various Egyptian leaders is not sufficient to prove or maintain ownership status.
That’s true, decrees may be expendable BUT they verify the stamp of approval of the Prophet himself and all these items in combination can make a strong case in international courts and in the United Nations that Egypt cannot afford to fight against the whole world…
But such an avenue presupposes a Greek government that is willing to give the fight – and we are not sure at all about this