Monastery of St John the Baptist (Online Bookshop) Reviews 

If you ever find yourself walking the quiet paths of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Essex, you’ll feel right away that the air is different there. It isn’t just the smell of incense or the sound of the bells; it is a place where people go to learn how to talk to God from the very bottom of their hearts. The monks there don’t just read about God in old books; they live with Him, like a captain who knows his ship so well he can feel the change in the wind before it even blows.

Archimandrite Zacharias and Archimandrite Peter have written books that act like a sturdy map for anyone lost at sea. They don't use fancy words to confuse us. Instead, they talk about how a person’s soul can become a "spiritual state." Now, that sounds like a big term, but it really just means that knowing God isn't about memorizing facts or being clever. It’s about the way you stand before Him. Just like a fisherman knows the sea by being on it every day, feeling the salt on his skin and the tug on his line, these fathers teach us that we know God by staying close to Him in prayer until our whole life feels like He is right there in the boat with us.

Even if you can’t travel to the monastery or hold a heavy paper book in your hands, these words are now available as eBooks. You can carry these holy teachings right on your phone, like a small compass in your pocket. Whether you are out on the water or sitting at your kitchen table, you can read a few lines and find peace. Their writings remind us that the greatest "theology" is simply a heart that is humble and open, crying out to the Lord just as Peter did when he started to sink. It is a reminder that God isn't looking for scholars; He is looking for friends.

Everything was handled in an extremely friendly and helpful manner.

I gave ordered 2 books and was very happy with the service. Delivery was quick, also it was very well packaged. I have received emails of each step of preparation. I am extremely satisfied with the service. Thank you so much 😊🙏🏼

I live in Alberta, and the books came in surprisingly quickly for all the distance between us.
Incredible quality in the pages and paper. They even gave us some icon cards!

My book was sent to me the very next day after I ordered. Great service!

The books are great and very helpful for spiritual growth.

Bought the book for my wife as a birthday present it was bueatifully gift wrapped and delivery and time frame where very good woukd thoroughly recommend

I’m terrible at writing reviews, but they have the best service and are quick to reply! Will come back soon!
Highly recommended,
Thank you.

Σήμερα παρέλαβα την πρώτη μου παραγγελία που έκανα από το μοναστήρι σας. Η χαρά μου είναι πολύ μεγάλη. Η εξυπηρέτηση, το πακέτο που παρέλαβα και όλη η διαδικασία ήταν εξαιρετική.
Ο Θεός να ευλογεί κάθε σας έργο.
Σας ευχαριστώ από καρδιάς!
Χριστίνα.

I've had the pleasure of visiting St John the Baptist Monastery, and it's truly one of the most beautiful places for worship in the UK. The website is a great resource, and their bookshop is a treasure trove of books for adults and kids in multiple languages. Grateful for all that the monastery and its website have to offer – a truly enriching experience!

Every book I have received from the Monastery of St.John the Baptist is exceptional.
Both the content of each book, and the presentation reveal care, love and respect for the reader .
I always feel like I am loved all the way from the UK to Australia, when I receive their books .
The spiritual content of their books is’Life -Giving’ .
Thank you so much everyone at the bookshop.
with gratitude
anna

Communications are very timely in confirming the time frame of my expected book delivery.

Every item was packaged with obvious care and arrived quickly and it perfect condition. The included bookmarks are always a special & appreciated touch. The cost of shipping to the United States is surprisingly affordable. We will definitely order from them again in the future!

Clean delivery, well communicated, on time. Price of shipping very good. Encourages more purchases. Good experience. I buy books! Quality press.

Not the first time for me to make a small order with St John Baptist Monastery. This time I ordered four books on Sunday 28th December 2025; they arrived with several icon bookmarks on Tuesday 30th. Amazing, and the usual high quality.
Thank you. God bless you.

The service was really good and the purchases arrived when expected. I would highly recommend Monastery of St John the Baptist (Online Bookshop)

The whole process of choosing item to order, trough navigating trough the website right until the end of finalising my order was seamless! I received my order within 2 days and it was excellently packed as well. Thank you so, so much!

Ordered calendars and one book, received them very promptly just before New Year's Eve. The items were wrapped so beautifully with a lot of care in many protective layers. Like all other books from the Monastery the book is very nicely bound, with quality print paper and the content is just amazing, so helpful in answering to many questions. Thank you so much and Happy New Year!

Beautifully written books, I have ordered three books, fast shipping, beautiful gift wrapping! Thank you so much for my books.

Fr. Athanasius is consistently more than helpful, very efficient and kind.