10-16 February 2024

Pilgrimage to Maldon 10-16 February 2024

Monastery of St John the Baptist Essex, England

After a four-year hiatus due to the effects of the pandemic, I once again had the fortunate opportunity to spend a week at St John the Baptist monastery in Maldon, England. Simply put: to visit Fr Sophrony Sakharov. And despite the fact that this holy man died in 1993, his presence in the monastery is felt everywhere and in everything.
It is especially awe-inspiring that in our group of 12 this year, there are only three Russian speakers and the rest Belgians and Dutch, and four of the group are on pilgrimage to this monastery for the first time.
I myself have been here eight times and I have never met anyone who did not leave here without being transformed and inspired.
Father Alexander

The monastery's dining room!
Our borscht for lunch - delicious! With sour cream - maybe! In England - could be! In a monastery, where out of 52 monks, only two are nationally related to borscht - not possible!
Yet it is there and will be eaten!
Father Alexander