A Greek Orthodox monk on Mount Athos, the center of Orthodox monasticism, died at the age of 82 without ever seeing a woman.

A court ruling in Egypt about St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai has sparked grave concern within the Greek Orthodox Church about religious freedom. Monday, July 14, 2025 A service of EWTN News ...

"There is deep concern among the Greeks—who are deeply religious—and the Greek Orthodox Church that St. Catherine’s Monastery, which they consider a holy site, could meet the same fate as ...

St. Catherine’s Monastery, which is inhabited by Greek Orthodox monks in Egypt, is considered to be the world’s oldest continuously operating Christian monastery.

He confirmed both countries’ commitment to “maintaining the Greek Orthodox religious character of the monastery”. An Egyptian court ruled that St Catherine’s monastery sat on state-owned land.

The monastery is one of 20 in the autonomous all-male monastic community of Mount Athos, known in Greek as Agion Oros, or Holy Mountain. The peninsula is no stranger to foreigners.