Nestled in the peaceful region of Boetia, Greece, the Sacred Monastery of St. John of the Ladder is more than just a place of prayer—it’s a testament to resilience, faith, and the enduring tradition of Orthodox monastic craftsmanship.
Our Journey
In 1999, our former monastery on Mount Parnitha was destroyed by the Athens earthquake. We were without a home. A friend of our monastery generously let our entire brotherhood stay in his one-bedroom apartment, and that is how we lived for over three years. To save money for the construction of a new monastery we worked around the clock to make Orthodox handiworks, driving all over Greece to sell them at fares.
Thanks to God, we eventually gathered enough resources to partially build a new monastery in Boetia, on the sacred grounds of the ancient Byzantine Monastery of the Holy Archangels. While the monastery was still being constructed we had to move out of the apartment we were living in. With no alternative, we moved into our partially-built Monastery of St. John of the Ladder before it even had doors and windows. It was not the physical structure that sustained us, but the grace of God.
Eventually construction was finished on our new monastery, and this is where our small brotherhood has lived and served ever since, supporting ourselves entirely through our monastic handiwork.
Our Monastic Work
Our brotherhood supports itself through two main forms of work: Handiwork and Publishing.
Handiwork
Our primary craft is making traditional, Athonite incense. We follow the methods of Mount Athos, using only natural ingredients like Ethiopian frankincense and pure oils to provide an authentic alternative to mass-produced items.
Beyond incense, our handiwork includes a range of other items for church and home use. We accept commissions for crafting vestments, skufias, and embroidered appliques to order. Our komboskini (prayer ropes) are typically one-of-a-kind creations. We also make our own antimensia designs for parishes in need.
Publishing
We are also engaged in publishing work through our Orthodox Christian Treasury series. For saints with extensive historical accounts and associated hymns, we publish comprehensive, standalone digital editions which are available for a low cost in our store. For saints with manuscripts with shorter available texts, we make the complete life freely available in our online Reading Room.
Our Mission
Our commitment is to provide the Orthodox faithful with genuine items for their life of prayer. Every product, whether it is a physical item or a digital text, is created in a spirit of prayer and rooted in the traditions of the Church.
When you acquire an item from us, you are not simply making a purchase. You are sustaining our monastic life, and helping to preserve the traditions of Orthodox craftsmanship and learning.
We invite you to be part of our story. Whether you are seeking incense for prayer, commissioning a vestment, or reading the life of a saint, know that each item is a fruit of the life and work of the Brotherhood of the Sacred Monastery of St. John of the Ladder.
