Patmos Island

For spiritual inspiration and knowledge of the divine, you should visit the island of Patmos. In 95 AD, St John the Apostle lived in a cave in exile on the island. During this time, he had a divine revelation when Jesus spoke to him, prompting him to write the Book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible. Today, you can see the three lines embedded on the ceiling of the cave, where many believe the voice of Jesus came from during the revelation. The three lines are said to represent to the Holy Trinity. In the cave you will also see a niche in the wall, where St John would place his hand to help himself up.

The Monastery of St John the Theologian is the grandest site on the island and sits on top of a hill of white washed square homes. Built by Father Christodoulos in 1088, as a dedication to the Saint, the Monastery looks more like a medieval castle. Father Christodoulos purposely designed the monastery by surrounding it with tall brick walls to keep the holy place safe from intruders. The Monastery houses five chapels, the only museum on the island, the legendary library where priceless texts have occupied the shelves for thousands of years, and a collection of frescoes.

Cave of the Apocalypse
hours vary, but generally Sunday to Wednesday 8am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm, Thurs to Saturday 8am to 1:30pm, free admission

Monastery of St John
every day 8:30am to 12pm and 4pm to 6pm, admission free except museum approx. 4 euro, telephone: 0241-21-954