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[[File:Saint Sophrony of Essex.jpg|thumb|Saint Sophrony of Essex ]]
==Timeline==[[Saint]] Sophrony, was best known as the disciple and biographer of St [[Silouan the Athonite]] and compiler of St Silouan's works, and as classic book [https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/saint-silouan-the-athonite Saint Silouan the Athonite]. He is also 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.
===Early Life===
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 Gogol, Turgenev, Tolstoy, [[Fyodor Dostoevsky|Dostoyevsky]] and Pushkin.
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]]
In 1973, a more complete translation of the life of St Silouan, under the title ''Monk of Mt Athos'', was published, followed by the publication of ''Wisdom of Mt Athos'', the . The writings of St Silouanwere published later in full in the book [https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/saint-silouan-the-athonite Saint Silouan the Athonite]. Elder Sophrony seemed to move to his own works after this, publishing ''His Life is Mine'' in 1977 and ''[https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/we-shall-see-him-as-he-is "We Shall see See Him As as He Is'' "] in 1985. This last book, a very frank, open spiritual autobiography, was published to mixed reviews: where the West generally enjoyed the book, the Russians generally criticized it. Some of the criticism was so stinging that it, along with increasing illness, discouraged Elder Sophrony from writing again.
In 1987, the Ecumenical Patriarchate glorified St [[Silouan the Athonite]], no doubt assisted by his fame from Elder Sophrony's works.
Mother Elizabeth, the eldest nun, reposed soon after, on July 24th. This was in accordance with Elder Sophrony's words that he would repose first, and she would repose soon after.
On November 27, 2019, the Ecumenical Patriarchate proclaimed the glorification of Elder Sophrony as a saint of the Orthodox Church.
==Books==
*[https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/we-shall-see-him-as-he-is/ ''The Undistorted ImageWe Shall See Him As He Is''], 1985. Essex, England: Staretz SilouanStravropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist, 18661988 (ISBN 0-9512786-4-19389)*''[https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/saint-silouan-the-athonite/ Saint Silouan, 1948the Athonite]'', 1952Stavropegic Monastery of St. Faith PressJohn the Baptist; 1st edition, 1958 1996 (ISBN B0007IXVB0978-0-951-27868-0).*''The Monk [https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/on-prayer/ On Prayer]'', Stavropegic Monastery of Mount AthosSt. John the Baptist, 1998 (ISBN 1-874679-14-2).*[https: Staretz Silouan 1866//essexmonastery.com/bookshop/striving-for-knowledge-of-1938god/ ''Striving for Knowledge of God:'' ''Correspondence with David Balfour''], MowbrayStavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist, 1st edition, 1973 2016 (ISBN 0264646185978-1-909649-06-4). *''[https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/truth-and-life/ Truth and Life],'' Stavropegic Monastery of St. VladimirJohn the Baptist, 1st edition, 2014 (ISBN 978-1-874679-96-7).*''[https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/letters-to-his-family/ Letters to His Family],''s Seminary PressStavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist, 2nd edition, 1997 2023 (ISBN 091383615X978-1-909649-01-9).*''Wisdom from Mount Athos[https: The Writings //essexmonastery.com/bookshop/words-of-life/ Words of Life],'' Stavropegic Monastery of Staretz Siloan 1866St. John the Baptist, 2nd edition, 2015 (ISBN 1-874679-16-19389).*''[https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/hearken-my-beloved-brethren/ Hearken, my Beloved Brethren],'' Stavropegic Monastery of St. Vladimir's Seminary PressJohn the Baptist, 2nd edition, 1975 2021(ISBN 0913836176978-1-909649-57-6).*''His [https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/the-mystery-of-christian-life/ The Mystery of Christian Life is Mine],'', Stavropegic Monastery of St. Vladimir's Seminary PressJohn the Baptist, 1st edition, 1977 2022 (ISBN B000B9E2WW978-1-909649-90-3). *''The Cross of Loneliness: The Correspondence of Saint Sophrony and Archpriest Georges Florovsky'' St. VladimirTikhon's Seminary Monastery Press, 1997 2021 (ISBN 0913836338978-1-7361723-1-5).*''We Shall See Him As He IsThe Undistorted Image: Staretz Silouan, 1866–1938'', 19851948, 1952. EssexFaith Press, England1958.*''The Monk of Mount Athos: Stravropegic Monastery of Staretz Silouan 1866–1938'', Mowbray, 1973 ({{ISBN|0-264-64618-5}}). St. John the BaptistVladimir's Seminary Press, 19881997 (ISBN 0-913836-15-X).*''Saint Silouan, the AthoniteWisdom from Mount Athos: The Writings of Staretz Siloan 1866–1938'', St. Vladimir's Seminary Press; reprint edition, 1999 1975 (ISBN 08814119570-913836-17-6).*''On PrayerHis Life is Mine'', St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1977. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1998 1997 (ISBN 0-88141913836-19433-98).
===Biographical===
*[https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/christ-our-way-and-our-life/ ''Christ, Our Way and Our Life'' ] by Archimandrite [[Zacharias (Zacharou)|Zacharias]]. "A Presentation of the theology of Archimandrite Sophrony." (ISBN 1-878997-74-2).
*''I Love Therefore I Am'' by [[Nicholas (Sakharov)|Nicholas V. Sakharov]]. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2003 (ISBN 0-88141-236-8).
==Online Sources==
*https://essexmonastery.com/saint-sophrony-the-athonite/
*http://sophrony.narod.ru/indexe.html
*http://sophrony.narod.ru/texts/necrolog1.htm