Our Life and Mission

By the heavenly intercession of St. Demetrios, the Myrrhgusher, Wonderworker of Thessaloniki,
may our Lord Jesus Christ  have mercy on us!

A New Men's Orthodox Christian Monastic Community

The Monastery of St. Demetrios is a new community of Orthodox Christian men, dedicated to the service of Christ and the Church, and committed to working out their salvation as a Christian community, guided by the traditions of the holy monasteries of Russia and Athos, and the Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Essex. The Monastery is primarily English speaking, and its services primarily in English, following the liturgical tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church. Our spiritual life is centered on the practice of the Jesus Prayer. The Brotherhood works inside the community, with some outside in order to bring in sufficient income, as the Monastery develops over the next several years, consistent with the gifts of each of the brethren. The vision is to develop a brotherhood that will strive to live according to the Gospel, as a Christian community in the Russian Orthodox Tradition, serving all who come.

Our Mission & Work

The mission of the monastery is to promote and bear witness to the Gospel through development of:

  • Monastic brotherhood and spiritual life,
  • Ministries of outreach and specific work of the community, including teaching and ministry in whatever contexts possible
  • Hospitality
  • Publishing and distribution of Orthodox Christian spiritual literature and liturgical goods

By striving for spiritual growth through contemplative prayer, asceticism and life in community, and bearing witness to the Orthodox Faith in Jesus Christ, through hospitality, outreach, preaching and teaching, we seek to develop a monastic complex that will accommodate both the Brotherhood and the pilgrims and guests that come to pray and worship with us, creating a place of spiritual formation, on various levels, to prepare men to bear witness to Christ through their lives, their example, and their preaching.