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[[ImageFile:sophrony8Saint Sophrony of Essex.jpg|rightthumb|frame|Archimandrite Saint Sophronyof Essex ]][[ArchimandriteSaint]] Sophrony (Sakharov), also '''Elder Sophrony''', was best known as the disciple and biographer of St [[Silouan the Athonite]] and compiler of St Silouan's works, and as the founder of the [[Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist (Maldon, Essex)|Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist]] in Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex, England.

On [[September 23]], 1896, Sergei Symeonovich Sakharov was born to Orthodox parents in Russia. As a child, Sergei would pray daily, later recalling that he would pray for 45 minutes without stress. Even as a child, Sergei experienced the Uncreated Light. He read widely, including such Russian greats as GoglGogol, Turgenev, Tolstoy, [[Fyodor Dostoevsky|Dostoyevsky]] and Pushkin.

Sergei then became among the first students of the [[St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute (Paris, France)|St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute]] in Paris. He was lectured by Fr [[Sergei Sergius Bulgakov]] and [[Nikolai Berdyaev|Nicholas Berdyaev]], but while both influenced Sergei, problems with each (Bulgakov's [[sophiology]] and Berdyaev's anti-[[asceticism]]) limited the influence they had on the future Elder.

Sergei arrived at Mt Athos in 1926, where he entered the [[St. Panteleimon's Monastery (Athos)|Russian Orthodox Monastery of St. Panteleimon]] with the intent of learning how to pray and to have the right attitude towards God. He was [[tonsure]]d with the name of Sophrony. In 1930, Fr Sophrony was [[ordination|ordained ]] to the [[diaconate]] by St [[Nikolai Velimirovic|Nicolai (Velimirovic) of Zicha]], and he became a disciple of St [[Silouan the Athonite]], who would prove to be Fr Sophrony's greatest and life-long influence. St Silouan had no formal system of theology, being largely uneducated, but his life exuded theology. This is what taught Fr Sophrony, and what Fr Sophrony would later systematize.

Between 1932 and 1946, Fr Sophrony exchanged letters with Fr David Balfour, a British spy and a [[Roman Catholic|Catholic]] who converted to Orthodoxy. These letters revealed Fr Sophrony's knowledge of many [[Holy Fathers|Fathers of the Church]], and they forced Fr Sophrony to articulate his theological thought and to demonstrate the differences between Western and Eastern thought. Many of Fr Sophrony's later thoughts would arise out of the same topics addressed in this correspondence.

In On [[24 September]] 1938, St . Silouan [[September 24|reposed]]in the Lord. Following the saint's his spiritual father’s instructions, Fr Father Sophrony left the monastery grounds to reside in the Athonite desert: first at Karoulia, then at a cave near St Paul's Monastery. His residence in this desert lasted World War II's duration, 1939-1945, and it proved to be a time of such intense prayer that Fr Father Sophrony's health was affected. This taught him the interdependence of all humanity. In 1941, Elder Sophrony was ordained to the priesthood[[priest]]hood. He became a [[Geronta|spiritual father]] to many Athonite monks.

By 1958, Elder Sophrony had a number of people living near him, seeking the monastic life. A property at Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex, England was inspected, and the next year the Community of St John the Baptist was formed at this site, under the [[omophorion]] of Metropolitan [[Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh]]. The monastery had both monks and nuns, something that has continued to the present, and originally had six members. In 1965, the monastery would move under the omophorion of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]], adding the title '[[Patriarchal]]' to its name. Later, the Ecumenical Patriarchate elevated the monastery to '[[Stavropegic]]'.[[Image:sophrony8.jpg|right|frame|Archimandrite Sophrony]]

The monastery had been informed that the only way that it could bury people on its property was to build an underground crypt, which it proceeded to build, and to which Elder Sophrony said that he would not repose until the crypt was ready. Then, having been told of the expected completion date of [[July 12 July]], Elder Sophrony stated that he "would be ready". On the 11th, Elder Sophrony reposed; and on the 14th was his funeral and burial, attended by monastics from around the world. At the time of Fr Sophrony's repose, there are were 25 monastics in the monastery, a number that has remained steady since then.[[Image:Reposed_Elder_Sophrony.jpg|thumb|Repose of Elser Sophrony - 11th July 1993]]

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