Ecumenical Patriarch visits Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Essex (PHOTOS)

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew attended the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at the Church of Saint Sophrony the Athonite at the Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Essex, England.

Among those attending were Metropolitan Elder Dimitrios of the Princes’ Islands, Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria and Metropolitan Joachim of Lampi, Syvritos and Sfakia, who are accompanying the Ecumenical Patriarch during his visit.

Also present were Bishop Maximos of Melitene, representing Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain; the monastery’s Abbot, Archimandrite Peter; Cyprus Consul Pieros Pieri; and a large number of faithful and friends of the monastery from across Britain.

Archimandrite Peter welcomed Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the entrance of the monastery’s main church and later addressed him.

In his remarks, the Ecumenical Patriarch expressed his emotion at returning to the monastery founded by Saint Sophrony the Athonite.

Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his emotion at returning to the Essex monastery and visiting the tomb of its founder, Saint Sophrony, whom he described as a major patristic theologian and ascetic of…