Monastic Gifts

Orthodox gifts from Greece

Monastic Gifts is an online shop for Orthodox devotional items and gifts associated with Greek monastic traditions. Its collection includes Byzantine icons, incense, prayer ropes, crosses, oil lamps and objects for homes or churches. The business describes itself as a family shop and says products are prepared in Greece for worldwide shipping. Some lines are presented as handmade by monks from monasteries associated with Mount Athos, Kalambaka and Meteora; the maker and origin of a specific item should be checked on its product page.

Icons for different uses

The icon range includes ready-to-ship pieces, made-to-order work, travel icons, diptychs and triptychs, silver icons and printed serigraphies. A small travel icon may be practical for a personal prayer space, while a larger panel or iconostasis piece has different dimensions and display needs. Hand-painted and printed icons are different products; buyers should read the stated technique, materials and measurements. A made-to-order item may also have a different production period from an item already held in stock.

Incense, prayer ropes and church supplies

Other sections cover Greek incense, anointing oils, prayer ropes, rosaries, amulets, votive offerings and religious accessories. Brass incense burners, vigil lamps, crosses and candlesticks are listed for devotional settings. Materials and sizes matter: a prayer rope may vary in knot count and a lamp or burner requires suitable fuel or incense. Review the product description for the exact contents, care requirements and safe use. Jewellery and keepsakes may be better suited to gifts when the recipient already has the larger devotional objects.

Selecting and ordering a gift

The store lets visitors select a destination country and currency and displays shipping information for international orders. Its homepage advertises prepaid import duties for US customers, but the checkout and current policy should confirm how charges apply to a particular shipment. For a religious gift, check the saint or feast depicted, the size, language of any inscription and whether the item is handmade or reproduced. Items shipped from Greece can take different times to reach different countries; consult the delivery estimate before choosing a date-sensitive gift.