The Apocalypse Cave and the Monastery of Saint John on Patmos Island

The Apocalypse Cave and the Monastery of Saint John on Patmos Island

The small island of Patmos in the Dodecanese archipelago is renowned as the place where Saint John the Theologian wrote the Gospel and the Book of Revelation. In the late 10th century, a monastery was built here for the "beloved disciple," and since then, it has remained a pilgrimage site and a center of learning for the Greek Orthodox Church. The island is dominated by the exquisite monastic complex, the ancient settlement of Chorá, and the many religious and secular buildings surrounding it.

The monastery is built in the Byzantine style and includes five chapels, housing the relics of its founder, Christodoulos, as well as the remains of several other saints. Both the main church and the monks’ refectory within the monastery feature ancient frescoes, and its treasures are recognized throughout Greece. The most valuable part is the monastery’s library, which contains over two thousand books, including ancient manuscripts and scriptures adorned with miniature icons. It also houses imperial decrees from the Byzantine emperors to Christodoulos, bearing gold seals. Among the most priceless treasures in the library are thirty-three pages handwritten in gold and silver ink on purple parchment—most of them excerpts from the Gospel of Mark.

Although the monastery’s library currently displays several Platonic works returned from the British Museum, and the treasures hall features exquisitely crafted religious artifacts adorned with precious stones and pearls, the glory of the past can never be fully reclaimed.

Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint John

Must-see reason: Greece’s oldest and most precious frescoes

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Greece[Greece]

Province/State where the attraction is located: South Aegean Region [South Aegean Region]