Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist

It is located in Tolleshunt Knights, near Maldon, Essex, in England, and is the oldest Orthodox religious community in the United Kingdom.

It was founded in 1958 by St Sophrony of Essex,[1] under the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Anthony, the Metropolitan of Sourozh and ruling Russian Orthodox bishop in England, with six monastics from a number of nations; in 1965 the monastery moved under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

After his departure from Mount Athos, where he had been a disciple of Saint Silouan the Athonite, and his subsequent move to Paris, he was to live in a Russian old-people's home, assisting the priest there.

The monastery, from its beginnings, had both monks and nuns, due to Elder Sophrony being unable to oversee two separate communities.

On 11 July, St Sophrony died; and his funeral and burial were held three days later, attended by monastics from around the world.