Patmian Ecclesiastic School in Patmos

The Patmian Ecclesiastic School in Patmos Greece, Dodecanese: The Patmiada Scholi (Patmian School) is located near the Cave of the Apocalypse on Patmos Island. The foundation of the Patmian School also referred to as the General School of the Nation was the most important event of the 18th century. The school was founded by Makarios Kalogeras in 1713 through the first efforts were made by the metropolitan bishop Grigorios.

Makarios Kalogeras followed theological and philosophical studies in the patriarchal school of Constantinople and always enjoyed the support of eminent families like the Mavrocordatos family and the Ypsilanti family so much that he was appointed as the successor of the bishop of Nicomedia.

However, the teacher inside Makarios craved to teach and therefore, returned to Patmos and created the School near the Holy Grotto of the Revelation. He was known as the deacon monk of the island who had played an important role during the Ottomans occupation of the nation. The founder of the school himself was an example for the bright students who in their thirst for knowledge came from as far off places as Peloponnese, Athens, Bucharest, Asia Minor or Russia as the school became an intellectual and religious center.

The school became popular due to many of its famous professors and students who went to become prominent men in Greek history. Makarios received advice and support from great teachers of his time and of special mention here are Emmanuel Xanthos and Emmanuel Ypsilantis. The increased popularity of the school saw the school size growing to accommodate the increased number of students.

When Makarios died in 1737, his pupil Jerome the Byzantine continued the mission but the school saw difficult days ahead and in 1902, it worked as an ecclesiastic school which was transferred to Samos in 1907 because of lack of financial contributors. The activities of the school were closed down but after the liberation of Patmos in 1947, some generous subscriptions aided the funding of its new buildings. Then, it was rebuilt a few meters above its ancient location.

The school still reveres its founder as an honest, educated, wise and virtuous man of the orthodoxy who directed the nation's attention in order to increase the knowledge and spread faith in education to free the oppressed communities of the enslaved nation from their grievances.