From May 29 to June 2, 2025, an international conference of Orthodox and Catholic Christians took place on the Greek island of Syros, entitled ‘Syros II: On the Future of the Una Sancta. Incarnate Reality and Eschatological Hope’.
The conference was hosted by the Dean C. and Zoë S. Pappas Interdisciplinary Center for Hellenic Studies of Stockton University, the Catholic Pacific College, and the University College London, with Andrew TJ Kaethler, Tom Papademetriou, Timothy Carroll, and Sotiris Mitralexis serving on the Organizing Committee.
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens participated in the conference through presentations delivered by three members of the teaching staff at the Department of Social Theology and Religious Studies, namely Professor Eirini Christinaki (Canon Law), Dr Evi Voulgaraki (Laboratory Teaching Staff, Missiology), and Dr Dionysios Skliris (Teaching Staff, Philosophical Epistemology).
During the conference, events affecting the Monastery of St Catherine on Mount Sinai became known, and the following communiqué was issued:
‘We are a group of Eastern and Western theologians and church leaders, Orthodox and Catholic, meeting in the Greek island of Syros, in order to discuss the future of ecumenical dialogue. In the midst of our sessions we heard of the decision of an Egyptian court to appropriate the land of the monastery of St Catherine on Mt Sinai.
That monastery has stood there uninterrupted for fifteen centuries. Prophet Mohammed himself respected it and extended his personal protection to it, and similarly every other conqueror and army that passed through these lands never interfered with its operation. While Sinai itself is important for Judaism, Islam and Christianity, St Catherine’s, as one of the oldest Christian monastic centres in the world, holds special significance for Christians of all denominations, in the East and the West alike. In addition, its library preserves manuscripts of tremendous value, which are maintained in excellent condition by the monastic community.
While it is not quite clear what are the details of that court decision, whether the monastery itself is under danger or not, and whether a political decision is already underway, following the work of the Greek government in this direction, we can simply express our great concern. As a community of scholars and community and church leaders, we wish to plead to the powers to be, to ensure the safety and the future of this important pilgrimage, worship and study site.
We are asking everyone to support this plea and hope the best for the salvation of this most unique place of prayer and worship, for the safety of the monks, the churches, the monuments, the memories of the pilgrims and the ascetics who have been visiting and living there in fifteen centuries. We hope and pray that this special place which has been the breeding ground for countless saints, will not be sacrificed to political or commercial interest.
Dr Paul Allen (Corpus Christi College)
Rev Dr Andreas Andreopoulos (King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts)
Rev Professor Radu Bordeianu (Duquesne University)
Professor Eirini Christinaki (University of Athens)
Dr Vladimir Cvetkovic (University of Belgrade)
Professor Davor Dzalto (University College Stockholm)
Rev Jonathan Goodall (Diocese of Westminster)
Professor Norm Klassen (St Jerome’s University)
Professor Marcello La Matina (University of Macerata)
Professor Nikolaos Loudovikos (University of Ioannina)
Rev Professor Andrew Louth (University of Durham)
Rev Professor Giulio Maspero (Pontifical University of the Holy Cross)
Dr Mary McCaughey (St Mary’s College)
Dr Sotiris Mitralexis (University College London)
Rev Professor Thomas O’Loughlin (University of Nottingham)
Professor Jacob Phillips (St Mary’s University, Twickenham)
Professor Jared Schumacher (University of Mary in Bismarck)
Dr Dionysios Skliris (University of Athens)
Professor Edward Siecienski (Stockton University)
Dr Evi Voulgaraki-Pisina (University of Athens)’
For the communiqué in English and Arabic, please follow this link: https://saltalas.com/blog/syros-ii-declaration-on-sinai-english-greek-arabic/
The session has ended for security reasons.