Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem has sent an official letter to Archbishop Damian of Sinai, Pharan, and Raith, inviting him to attend a session of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate to provide explanations regarding the conflict at the Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai.

In his letter, the Patriarch expressed "deep sorrow" over the events that he claims "grieve and scandalize the Church." He noted that the actions of the archbishop have caused confusion among both the monastery's brotherhood and the broader church community.

Theophilos III has called for Damian to arrive in Jerusalem on September 8 (new style) to report to an extraordinary session of the Synod. At the same time, the Patriarch demanded the opening of the monastery gates and the return of monks who were previously expelled during the conflict.

The Monastery of Saint Catherine is one of the oldest Christian monasteries and is under the canonical jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Patriarchate. In recent months, a sharp conflict has erupted between the brotherhood and Archbishop Damian. The monks have accused him of violating the monastery's statutes, engaging in abuses, and attempting to maintain control over the monastery's lands and properties in Greece.

The conflict began several months ago following a decision by an Egyptian court that recognized the land surrounding the monastery as state property. Subsequently, the Greek Parliament recognized the Sinai Monastery as a separate legal entity, which strengthened the abbot's control over the monastery's assets, including dependencies and properties in Greece that generate income. This led to a confrontation between the abbot and part of the brotherhood, with some viewing the archbishop's actions as a threat to the monastery's statutes and its actual governance.

According to the publication Kathimerini, an attempt at reconciliation mediated by Greek authorities in late August was unsuccessful; negotiations lasted over a day and ended without results. The future of the monastery now depends on decisions made by the Jerusalem Patriarchate and interactions with Greek and Egyptian authorities. As a result of the recent events, the monastery has been temporarily closed to pilgrims and tourists, causing irritation among Egyptian authorities, for whom the monastery remains an important cultural and tourist site.

The crisis on Sinai has also elicited responses from other Local Churches. The Ecumenical Patriarchate confirmed its recognition of Damian as the legitimate archbishop and abbot of the monastery, while the Archbishop of Cyprus called for cooperation and unity among the brotherhood. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Patriarchate, under whose omophorion the monastery historically falls, has taken an opposing stance, supporting the expelled monks and demanding the restoration of order within the monastery.