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 Craft
At the heart of our work is the desire to keep alive the ancient Orthodox Christian traditions of monastic craftsmanship. Each item we produce, from our Athonite incense to our prayer ropes and candles, is made with prayer, care, and dedication. Every step of the process—from sourcing genuine local ingredients to handcrafting each product—is done in obedience and love for our spiritual vocation.
Our handmade incense follows the traditional methods of Mount Athos, using only natural ingredients like Ethiopian frankincense and pure oils. These sacred scents are designed to enhance the prayer life of Orthodox Christians, whether in church or at home, offering an authentic alternative to mass-produced, imported items from sweatshops.
Our Mission
We are committed to providing Orthodox faithful with genuine, handmade worship items that are crafted by monastics living a life of prayer. When you buy from us, we want you to feel that you are not just buying an item or consumable, but rather that you are receiving a piece of our monastic way of life into your church or home. By supporting our monastery, you are not only receiving a sacred product, but also helping to preserve the traditions of Orthodox monastic handicraft.
We invite you to be part of our story—a story of faith, endurance, and devotion to the Orthodox Christian way of life. Whether you are seeking incense for prayer, candles for your church or home, or a handmade prayer rope, know that each item is crafted with reverence and dedication by the monks of the Sacred Monastery of St. John of the Ladder.
Our Values
- Faith and Tradition: Rooted in the Orthodox Christian faith, we uphold the traditions of the Church in every aspect of our work.
- Handcrafted with Prayer: Every item is made in a spirit of prayer, individually, without mass-production technology or techniques wherever possible. That’s why each one of our products looks handmade and unique.
- Community and Support: By purchasing from our monastery, you help sustain our spiritual mission and preserve the traditions of Orthodox monastic life and handicraft.
