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There were some murmurs on the Holy Mountain when St Silouan was canonised. Some said, 'why him? What did he do that was special?' Father Sophrony suffered a lot in many ways. The Russian community on Mt Athos suffers disadvantage, and Father Sophrony was even suspected of being a spy! He tried to go back to Russia, to the Lavra, but the Soviet authorities wouldn't allow him to. He went to Paris but was not accepted there which is why - thankfully for us! - he came to England. He was helped by the then Home Secretary, R. A. Butler. Father Sophrony's application to come and live here was referred to Butler. He was a pious man (his favourite reading was the Homilies of St John Chrysostom), and when he looked at the file on Father Sophrony, he wrote across it, 'give the Archimandrite every assistance'. Father Sophrony looked all over Britain for some suitable property for his little community, and eventually found the Old Rectory at Tolleshunt Knights. At first, they were very poor. The local Anglican priest gave them food, but they had no service books which was why they started to use the Jesus Prayer morning and night, and this still takes the place of the usual services of Matins and Vespers. Many years ago, Bishop Eirenaios was looking for a spiritual father and confessor, and he went to Athens to ask Elder Simon of Penteli, who replied, 'why come to me when, in England, you have a diamond?' He meant Father Sophrony. So, the Bishop went to ask Father Sophrony to be his spiritual father. He replied, 'but you are a bishop - how can this be?' But the Bishop insisted, and became his disciple. I met the Bishop in 1992, and shortly after, he took me to meet Father Sophrony and take his blessing. That was it! I knew I had to become Orthodox. Father Sophrony is spiritual father to all who love him.