On Saturday 7^th December a group of the congregation from the church accompanied by Father Julian visited the monastery of St. John the Baptist at Tolleshunt Knights in Essex

We were all welcomed by the nuns who provided us with refreshments on arrival in the smaller dining room.

We were given a short tour of the monastery including the original chapel set up by Fathers Sophronios, Simeon and Prokopios who founded the monastery in 1959 when they came over from France.

They were joined later by Sister Elizabeth who was 70 at the time.

She remained a nun at the monastery until she died at the age of 101.

Many new buildings have been added since including the beautiful dining room that is decorated by frescos of icon paintings tableaus etc.

We then joined in a paraklis service in the church of St Silouanos.

We had the opportunity of visiting the book shop that has many books in many languages on Orthodoxy as well as beautiful gifts icons CDs of church music etc.

The photograph below was taken of the group in the smaller dining room from which can be seen some of the beautiful iconography decorating this room

Further visits

We hope to organise another visit soon and details will be given on the site

We are also hoping to organise a trip to St. Anthony’s church in London in January near the church’s saint’s day and details will be given as soon as available.

Report written by Sotira Georgiou

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