In a statement, he expressed his “full awareness of the end of [his] 52-year term” and humbly submitted his resignation. The Archbishop has called on the Sinai Fathers to “elect the best and most capable person” to succeed him, emphasizing the need for “unity and support of all, far from personal ambitions and obsessions.”
This resignation is the first step in a succession process that will culminate in the election of a new Archbishop. The general assembly of the Monastery’s Fathers is scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. to elect his successor.
The announcement comes after a recent development in a conflict within the Monastery. Monks who had previously opposed Archbishop Damianos stated that they are withdrawing the legal appeals they had filed against the monks who support him, a move that could signal a resolution to the long-standing disputes.
Months of turmoil at Sinai monastery before Damianos resigned
After months of turmoil at Mount Sinai’s Monastery of St Catherine, Damianos initiated the process of succession on September 4, signaling his intention to step down. At 91, he acknowledged that speculation over his leadership has fueled the monastery’s internal unrest.
“In reaching my ninety-first year, I understand that many inside and outside the Monastery are preoccupied with the inevitability of my succession,” Damianos said in a statement. “This very thought has been the true cause of the internal crisis that erupted within the Sinai Monastery.”