St Athanasius Monastery
St Athanasius’ Monastery is the first Coptic monastery in Great Britain. The monastery consists of a main building in which the Church of St Athansius is situated, along with a library, book shop, the monk’s dormitories, a kitchen and a dining room. There are also another three cottages and a caravan for visitors as well as a slightly smaller chapel of St Anthony. With 23 acres of land surrounding the monastery, the monks are able to be self sufficient as they grow their own vegetation and keep a range of animals, they also produce fresh cheese and honey. The monastery is based in a tranquil rural environment, suitable for monks who wish to lead lives of celibacy, contemplation and prayer. The monks lead a strict life of fasting and prayer. They follow a daily routine consisting of morning praises which begin at 5am, followed by a Holy Mass and Vespers in the evening. The monks also prepare their own Holy bread for the daily Eucharist.