Monastery of St John the Baptist library scene with religious books stacked up on the foreground

Monastery of St John the Baptist

Online Bookshop

Calendar 2025

Our 2025 wall Calendar with photos or icons from our Monastery alongside quotations taken from our books in English & Greek.

New Publications

Flying over the Abyss

Flying over the Abyss

Spiritual mourning reverses the temptation of the Fall: it cleanses every corner of man’s heart from every impurity so that it becomes a true vessel of divine grace for his sanctification. When his heart is thus enlarged, he becomes a true image of God, that is, a repetition of the Hypostasis of Christ. And according to Saint Sophrony, when there are such repetitions on earth, the nature and fate of the whole creation changes. Their prayer sustains the world.

Echoes of the Spirit

Echoes of the Spirit

The Feasts of the Lord are ‘signs’ of God. They are windows through which we see the great and marvellous works of our Lord. Yet the life of God is infinite, and when it is revealed to us in our weakness we can scarcely comprehend the slightest aspect of it. We need the key of the Patristic Tradition which opens the door to the supra-cosmic grace of each feast and makes us contemporaries of eternal events so that we enter the ‘secret bridal chamber of Christ, where the Lord’s love unto the end meets the gratitude of sinful man.’

The Justice of God in Stages

The Justice of God in Stages

God calls man to a wondrous life. Knowledge of the rough and arduous way, but also of its luminous end, gives wisdom to the mind while begetting inspiration and confidence. It takes many trials to break open man’s heart so that it can be enlarged to accommodate the glorious Spirit of God. Spiritual rebirth does not take place in the bliss of the first grace, but after a painful struggle in the furnace of temptations when man convinces God that he indeed belongs to Him, whether he lives or dies.

Seek, and Ye Shall Find

Thoughts have a taste. Each thought is accompanied by an energy according to its origin. If the thought comes from God, it brings peace and joy and promotes prayer. If it comes from the enemy, it brings confusion and does not harmonise with prayer. Sometimes thoughts which come from God may be completely contrary to our psychological state. Yet they bring life and energy of the Spirit, and our prayer receives wings.

Popular Books

Our Publications

We Shall See Him as He Is

$25.00

Monasticism

$31.00

Hesychasm

$30.00

Prayer as Infinite Creation

$26.00

Our Service

What to expect
  • Free UK postage

    All orders over £15 to the UK are delivered for free to your door. We normally use a 48-hour tracked service, but on Fridays, we use a 24-hour tracked service so you don't miss spending the weekend with one of our books.
  • Clothbound Books

    Most of our hardback books are beautifully clothbound and wrapped in a dust jacket, preserving them so they can be enjoyed for many years to come and providing for an enjoyable reading experience.
  • International Delivery

    We offer a flat-rate delivery cost of $12 for the USA and €7 for Europe. For other destinations, we reduce the shipping cost based on the number of books purchased, great if you plan on ordering a few books at once.

Homilies on Great Church Feasts

The trilogy of these books covers the period of the Triodion up to the Feast of All Saints after Pentecost.

View all Publications
  • Great Lent Homilies

    At the Doors of Holy Lent covers each Sunday preceding the Triodion up to the Sunday of Forgiveness.
    Alive From the Dead follows on from where At the Doors ends and covers all the Sundays up to Pascha

    Alive from the Dead

    $30.00
  • Homilies on the Pentecostarion

    Thirst for Life Eternal has a doxological character and covers all the feasts from Thomas Sunday up to the Feast of All Saints.

Kind Words

What our Readers Say

Share your
experience
quote-left

Thank you for continuing to release Fr. Zacharias’s writings. They are incredibly encouraging personally and very helpful for pastoring. As a mission-planting priest, these books have enabled me to connect the hard work we are doing here with God’s desire for our salvation. I hope Fr. Zacharias is able to continue publishing for a long time.

quote-left

The spiritual inheritance passed down from St. Silouan to St. Sophrony to Fr. Zacharias is invaluable as it speaks with such clarity to the needs of our time. That has been my experience – first as a seminarian, and now as a young priest. I routinely draw on the publications of the work of St. Silouan, St. Sophrony, Archim. Zacharias, & Archim. Peter – both for myself and for my pastoral work in the parish. The way these publications speak of the Gospel and the fulness of the life in Christ has been uniquely helpful to me personally and in my work as a priest.

I would also like to offer my thanks for the physical quality and overall appearance/aesthetic of the books themselves. The clothbound hardback with stamped text & logo makes for a superior look and feel for the books. The high-quality paper, uncrowded pages, and even the font, all contribute to the unparalleled reading experience. I appreciate that the books available in hardback will lay flat. Additionally, I have greatly appreciated recent publications – such as At the Doors of Holy Lent – that included two-color text and a ribbon bookmark.

quote-left

The books published by the monastery are tremendous blessings. The quality and content are a feast in the wilderness for which, I know as the manager of our church bookstore, many are grateful and growing in faith and faithful knowledge and awareness.

In addition, thanks to you, Father Peter, Father Zacharias, the translators, and all at the monastery involved with the Sunday talks and the decision to make the recordings available for those unable to listen in real time.

The quiet considerations and careful attention to grace filled details manifest in the ministries and outreach of the monastery reveal the inspiring obedience to Saint Silouan and Saint Sophrony present in your midst.

quote-left

Archimandrite Zacharias books are like a good movie- I cannot stop reading them!!!!

Costakis NeocleousGA, USA
quote-left

I have read everything available from Archimandrite Zacharias, and yet every time I embark on reading his latest work, it’s like I’m clinging to a tiny but precious thread that leads all the way to eternity. I am forever grateful for his wisdom and utterly penetrating insights into the nature of Orthodoxy and God’s infinite love for His children, even when they turn away or don’t realize His presence. More than ever, the world needs a voice like Archimandrite Zacharia’s.

Robert David VivianMI, USA
quote-left

I have recently purchased Christ, Our Way and Our Life from you and I am so very glad that I have. As an Anglican it is one of the most powerful works that I have ever read. Although I am only part way through, it has illuminated my thought with a clarity that I have not felt outside of Holy Scripture. I give my genuine thanks.

DavidStaffordshire, UK
quote-left

Thank you for the beautiful books you offer. They are always among my favorites to read. When I first came across Saint Sophrony’s writings I was fairly new to Orthodoxy and was astounded by how beautiful and precise were his descriptions which helped me immensely to understand what I was going through. The further distillation of his teaching by Father Zacharias is even more beautifully accessible to people searching for much needed inspiration living in a tired, worn down world.

Erin MariaOR, USA
quote-left

I received the parcel last week and I was extremely glad! Thank You for all the little bookmark presents, that I will pass on to others, to “disseminate” my joy also 🙂 But more, I want to thank Fr Zacharias for his new book, The Otherness of Love, which is a real inspiration even for us, those who are living in the world with families and children. I found many answers to some questions I have been tormented with for years, such as the question of the authority in education, and I never found the way until now. This book is so “other” than any other book I’ve read! I thank Fr Zacharias again and again for his kenosis which enriches us all!

AncaBucurești, Romania
quote-left

I am always amazed and happy at how quickly the books arrive and the packaging is absolutely perfect. Thank you very much for the icon bookmarks that accompany the books, they come along with me through the text and prayers. These books are holy words for me. Reading these books brings peace and grace. Often, when I am in difficult situations, I read one or a few sentences and I am comforted and find answers. It’s like the fathers are speaking directly to me. Thank you all for your work and for bringing such great help into the world.

CorneliaZürich , Switzerland
quote-left

Just received today the wonderful book Hesychasm by Father Zacharias. I was waiting for it to arrive, it was a joy to discover the parcel.

Such a beautiful book and such precious contents. Please thank Father Zacharias for his writings. I also have his Remember Thy First Love book, in French translation, it was a Christmas gift in 2020 from my Godmother who is a nun. I have books by Saint Sophrony in excellent French translation and look forward to reading more in the English versions.

Thank you for the lovely packaging and Saint Sophrony bookmark, lovely surprise, the book is so beautifully printed and presented it is a joy and blessing to receive and read it. It will be a joy to order other books from you when possible.

Again thank you, and gratitude for the Zoom conferences of Father Peter and Father Zacharias.

Fiona SeraphimaCôte-d'Or, France
quote-left

I have really enjoyed all the books I have received from your bookshop. Working through the website was easy, and I was surprised at the speed of delivery since I am in the US. I received the package a while back, but remember no defects, and the books all are in great condition. Having been a bookstore manager for 17 years, this is a sign that the packaging was well done. No bent corners is always a plus. Thank you for your excellent offerings and service. I do appreciate the email updates as well, especially because they are not overwhelming in number.

Joanna JaquetteOR, USA
quote-left

The content of these books is the breath of life! All of us readers are grateful for the clear exposition of spiritual truth. The effort to produce these books and capture these talks is a priceless ministry from the monastery to those of us “in the world.” May God continue to bless you in this ministry.
Shipments from Essex to us here in the US have been without damage or loss and for the most part arrive in short time.
As for the online bookstore ministry, it is a valuable means of outreach and, to me, the value lies in the easier access to the books and materials produced by the monastery. The website is the one place to go to find all that is available from the monastery press. Thank you!

RichardPA, USA
quote-left

The writings of St. Silouan, St. Sophrony and Fr. Zacharias touch me so deeply in my heart and soul they bring tears to my eyes, especially St. Sophrony’s books. The depth of their spiritual understanding comes from knowing our Loving God and experiencing the struggle we each have as human beings, to stay on the narrow path in this life that leads us to our true spiritual home. At times, I am astounded at their ability to put in to words the divine wisdom that they have been given and hold in their hearts, that I just sit and stare in to space hands clasped to my heart, tears pouring down my face in gratitude for their bearing of their souls for the benefit of all who read their books and their own personal unending pursuit of surrendering their will to our Loving Jesus. They are truly blessed and serve as a blessing to all humanity. God bless all of us. 🙏🏼

Debra BerryWY, UK
quote-left

I was born in Christ throughout the writings of Saint Silouan and Saint Sophrony, when I was 17 years old and when I knew nothing about what means to be a christian. After that, my life completely changed. I want to thank you all, to the entire community from Essex monastery who make possible the Sunday talks and special thanks to Father Zacharias and Peter for whom I feel very grateful because through their writings and talks they really help me to learn such profound and useful things about how to consolidate my spiritual life. From no one have I heard such a high teaching about life in Christ as from them.
With deep and profound gratitude,
Sister Ecaterina

Sister EcaterinaRomania, RO
quote-left

Exceptional books come from Essex Monastery! Saint Sophrony’s and Saint Silouan’s writings are a true testament of humbleness and love. This Monastery is a true treasure to Great Britain. May the prayers of Our Most Holy Theotokos reach everyone at Saint John’s the Baptist Monastery. God bless!

Oana AndronicRomanian Orthodox Parish of LiverpoolMerseyside, GB

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

Where is my order?

UK deliveries usually take about 2 days.

International Tracked orders take about 7 working days to be delivered. International Untracked orders are usually delivered within 10-12 working days but it could take up to 60 days in the worst case.

Orders are considered as lost 10 working days after delivery due date for UK, 30 days after delivery due date for International Tracked and 60 days after delivery due date for International Untracked.

Sometimes delays are inevitable. If you believe your order is lost, contact us.

Do you deliver worldwide?

We have fulfilled thousands of international orders up to now, and we should be able to fulfil yours as well. It all depends on whether there is a reliable postal service available to deliver in your country.

I live in the EU and I am worried about ordering from you in case I have to pay import duties and VAT.

If you place an order up to €150 subtotal (net cost of books), then we will handle everything for you so you don’t have to worry about import duties. We use the IOSS system for sales to the EU which effectively means that your order will arrive with no further payments necessary.  We charge the relevant amount of VAT and we pay it on your behalf to the different tax authorities via an agent.  This is the common system used by most businesses involved in cross border sales.

If your order exceeds the subtotal of €150, then you’ll be responsible to pay any applicable taxes to your local customs control in order to receive the parcel.

If you paid VAT on your order and you are asked by your country’s customs control to pay additional VAT,  please contact us about this matter.

Something is wrong with my order.

If you have received the wrong book, something is missing or you received something you didn’t order, please contact us to rectify this for you.

Has my order been processed?

We aim to process and post orders within 48 hours. Sometimes depending on the Church calendar, our processing times may be longer than usual. i.e. during Holy Week.

Do you offer wholesale discounts?

We recognise the need to support our fellow monasteries and parish bookshops so we offer a discount to them whatever the size of their order.

Please first register an account with us and then contact us and we will add the discount for you so that it is automatically applied at the checkout.

Can I order other items from your bookshop?

Our website was created in order to sell our own publications.  In the future we might expand to include other popular books and also icons, cards and other items sold in our onsite bookshops. At the moment if you know exactly what you are looking for you may contact us with specific details and we’ll do our best to assist you. However, if you are making a general stock enquiry regrettably it’s beyond our capacity to help at this stage.

I found 381 items that matched your query "".