The Greek foreign ministry has reported a tentative agreement with Egypt that would protect the status of the venerable Orthodox monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai.

The future of St. Catherine’s, the world’s oldest Christian monastery, has been in question since an Egyptian court ruling that surrounding land belonged to the government, and subsequent plans for a major commercial development there.

According to the Greek government—which had intervened diplomatically on behalf of the monks—a new agreement to protect the autonomy of the monastery will be presented to the monks for approval.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio has protested the cancellation of US Army contracts for help at military chapels, saying that “this action disproportionately harms Catholics.”

Archbishop Broglio, who heads the Archdiocese for the Military Services, referred to the decision to drop contracts for religious-education coordinators and musicians at Army chapels. He said that decision is particularly damaging to Catholic chaplaincies because “the Catholic faith requires continuing religious education and sacramental preparation that can only be accomplished through competent support.”