Written by Maria Antoniou

On Saturday 20 June, a group of parishioners from our church set off in high spirits on a pilgrimage to the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Essex.

Upon arrival, we received a warm welcome from the monastic community, who had kindly prepared refreshments for us. We then enjoyed a communal lunch in the monastery’s beautiful refectory, adorned with stunning icons.

Our host for the day, Sister Thekla, shared the rich history of the monastery and guided us through the many highlights of our visit.

Among these was a remarkable hand crafted mosaic of Noah’s Ark, created by the monastic community and displayed on the external wall of the refectory.

We also visited the crypt of Saint Sophrony the Athonite, the monastery’s founder, whose spiritual legacy continues to inspire pilgrims from around the world.

A further highlight was our visit to the crypt church, where Sister Thekla provided engaging and informative explanations of the iconography. The frescoes and icons depicted scenes from both the Old Testament and the afterlife.

We were also privileged to take part in a question and answer session with Fr Monk Melchizedek. His thoughtful and spiritually enriching responses to our questions provided encouragement and inspiration for all who attended.

The pilgrimage concluded with Vespers in the monastery’s magnificent church, which was consecrated in 2022.

We were honoured to worship in the presence of two bishops, including the Bishop of Crete and Bishop Hierotheos. The exceptional beauty of the church, together with the sisters’ heavenly chanting, created a deeply prayerful atmosphere and made for a truly memorable experience.

One of the monastic fathers who presided during the Vespers ceremony was our very own former parishioner Mario, who now goes by the name of monastic Father Theotokis.

Before departing, many pilgrims visited the monastery bookshops to purchase books, icons and other treasured items. Sister Thekla bade us farewell after being a gracious and exemplary host throughout our visit.

The pilgrimage was a spiritually enriching and joyful experience, and everyone commented on how much they had enjoyed this blessed and memorable day.

Editor’s Note: Maria & Eleni organised the trip superbly, with everything running like clockwork. Maria also took to the microphone on the coach with aplomb!

Many thanks to Maria, Eleni and the Ladies Auxiliary Committee for organising the day. The challenge is come up with the next exciting and enlightening journey!

You can see a video of the wonderful day below.