Monastery of St. John, Patmos
The fortified Monastery of St. John on Patmos. Photo
Phil K 37.
Dome of the Chapel of Apostles. Photo © www.HolyLandPhotos.org.
Open arches within the monastery. Photo
Michael Sims.
An Orthodox monk at Patmos. Photo
Alex Kuruz.
Byzantine frescoes in the narthex. Photo
mccrories.
Fresco of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste. Photo
Michael Sims.
Iconostasis in the monastery church. Photo © www.HolyLandPhotos.org.
Location map and aerial view of Monastery of St. John. For a larger interactive view, see our Patmos Map.
The Monastery of St. John the Divine (Agios Ioannis o Theologos), also known as the Monastery of St. John the Theologian, is a fortified Orthodox monastery on the island of Patmos in Greece.
History
In 1088, the Byzantine Emperor Alexios Komnenos gave the island of Patmos to the soldier-priest Ionnis Khristodhoulos "the Blessed." The greater part of the monastery was completed by Khristodhoulos in just three years. Its heavily fortified exterior was necessitated by the threats of piracy and Seljuk Turks.
What to See
The monastery consists of interconnecting courtyards, chapels, stairways, arcades, galleries and roof terraces. Hidden in the walls are fragments of an ancient temple of Artemis that was destroyed in the 11th century. The main chapel is lovely, as is the adjoining Chapel of the Theotokos, whose frescoes date from the 12th century.
The Treasury has an impressive array of religious art and treasure, mainly consisting of icons of the Cretan school. The star exhibits are an unusual mosaic icon of Agios Nikolaos and the 11th-century parchment granting the island to Khristodhoulos.
About halfway up (or down) the cobbled path that leads here is the Cave of the Apocalypse, the very place where St. John is believed to have received his revelations.
Getting There
You can either take a KTEL bus up to the monastery (it runs regularly) or take the 40-minute walk along a beautiful old cobbled path that begins on the main road in Hora.
Quick Facts
| Site Information | |
| Names: | Monastery of St. John |
| Location: | Patmos, Greek Islands, Greece |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Greek Orthodox |
| Dedication: | St. John |
| Category: | Abbeys & Monasteries |
| Status: | active |
| Visitor Information | |
| Address: | Hora, Patmos, Dodecanese, Greece |
| Coordinates: | 37.3092° N, 26.548145° E (view on Google Maps) |
| Lodging: | View hotels near this location |
| Phone: | 22470/31-234 |
Travel Resources
- Patmos Map - our detailed interactive map of Patmos, plus hand-picked links to more
- Patmos Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, and book at the guaranteed lowest price
Article Sources
- Monastery of St. John, Theologian - The Plaka
- Reviews of the Cave of the Apocalypse, Patmos - TripAdvisor
- Monastery of St. John - IgoUgo user review
- Island Guide: Patmos - The Times Online, May 9, 2004
- Map of the Monastery of St. John - Planetware
Last updated on July 20, 2010.
