New abbot officially enthroned at St. John’s Monastery in Essex, England

The new abbot of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Essex, England, founded by the great 20th-century elder Sophrony (Sakharov), was officially installed late last month.

Previously Archimandrite Peter (Vryzas) had been elected to replace Archimandrite Kyrillos, who retired due to the weakness of his age.

On August 26, Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain (Patriarchate of Constantinople), himself recently enthroned, paid his first visit as Archbishop to the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of St. John to celebrate the enthronement of the new abbot, Archimandrite Peter, reports the archdiocesan press service.

In his speech, Abp. Nikitas conveyed the good wishes and blessing of Patriarch Bartholomew and expressed confidence that Fr. Peter will continue the work of his predecessors, especially Archimandrite Sophrony, the spiritual child of the great St. Silouan the Athonite.

Following the enthronement, there was a traditional monastic meal and a brief discussion with the confessors of the monastery on Patristic themes.   

Fr. Peter is a relatively young monk and disciple of Elder Zacharias (Zacharou), who was himself a close disciple of Elder Sophrony.

The new abbot was born in Greece in 1977. He joined the monastery in 2002 at the age of 25, having labored in monastic obedience for 17 years already.

His PhD, on the mystery of receiving and transmitting the word of God in the teachings of Fr. Sophrony, was recently published as his first book.

Source: Orthochristian.com