Monastery of Saint John the Theologian

The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, also known as the Monastery of Saint John the Divine, is a Greek Orthodox institution on the island of Patmos, in the town of Chora. It was established in 1088 and takes its name from Saint John of Patmos, who, according to Christian tradition, received the visions of the Book of Revelation while living on the island. From its earliest days, the monastery has served both as a destination for pilgrims and as a center for Greek Orthodox worship and scholarship. A distinctive feature is that the surrounding community of Chora was built around the monastery’s fortifications from the outset, integrating the settlement with the religious complex. Early Christian liturgical practices continue to be observed within its walls. In 1999, UNESCO recognized the monastery, along with the town of Chora and the nearby Cave of the Apocalypse, as a World Heritage Site, citing its sacred importance, continuous architectural development, and the exceptional preservation of ancient Christian customs.

The monastery’s founding dates to 1088, when Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos granted the island of Patmos to a monk named Christodoulos. Most of the structure was completed by Christodoulos within three years. He gave the exterior heavy fortifications as protection against pirates and the Seljuk Turks. The oldest surviving sections are the main church, or Katholikón, and the refectory, both from the 11th century. The Katholikón follows the typical Byzantine cross-in-square plan with a central dome. Its floor features elaborate marble opus sectile work, and the walls are decorated with medieval frescoes and paintings. A two-story arcade was added to the south side of the monastery in 1698. The library holds at least 330 manuscripts, 267 of which are on parchment, including 82 New Testament manuscripts (such as minuscules 1160–1181, 1385–1389, 1899, 1901, 1966, 2001–2002, 2080–2081, 2297, 2464–2468, 2639, 2758, 2504, and 2639, as well as lectionaries). As of 2012, the monastery was home to 40 monks.