The Refectories of the Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist, Essex – England

Every Orthodox Monastery has a number of buildings, which it needs in order to function and also in order to accept visitors. One of these buildings is, of course, the refectory, where the monks, the nuns and the visitors come together during lunch and dinner to eat and drink together. It is a type of Agape, i.e. a meal which brought together all the Christian faithful in the ancient Church.

Here we see the two refectories from the Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist in Essex, England. In the one the meals are given to the monks, nuns and faithful, whilst in the second is where tea and coffee is given, especially to the visitors who come to the Monastery. Following the iconographic tradition evident in the other buildings, the Katholikon and the other Churches and chapels, we can identify that the saints and the living faithful are constantly in ‘communion’ and in relation with each other.