Patmos Apocalypse Cave

Location: Chora

Located off the road from Skala to the Monastery of Saint John, the Cave of the Apocalypse, the place where Saint John the Theologian wrote the Book of the Revelation, is considered one of the most sacred sites of Christianity. In 1999, it was declared a World Heritage Site along with the Monastery of Saint John, on account of its great spiritual significance.

Saint John was exiled to Patmos around 95 AD, under the rule of Emperor Domitian, and sought refuge in this cave along with his faithful disciple and scribe, Prochorus. It is believed that one day, the rocks of the cave cracked and three fissures were created, which are symbolic of the Holy Trinity. It was through these fissures that God spoke to Saint John, instructing him to write down his visions of the final days of the world and the creation of a new Earth.

The miraculous cave was first turned into a place of worship by Saint Christodoulos Latrinos, who lived in the 11th century, while a chapel was constructed there in the 17th century. Today, the Holy Cave forms part of a broader religious complex comprising chapels, storehouses, and the earliest buildings used by the Patmian Ecclesiastic School.

The walls are covered with rare icons, many of which date from the 1600s, and there is an ornately carved wooden altarpiece. A visit to the cave is a profoundly reverential experience, as pilgrims can actually touch the fissures on the wall and see the niche on which Saint John used to rest, as well as the rocky protrusions he used in order to prop himself up. The lectern used by Prochorus himself as he assisted Saint John in his work can also be seen inside the cave.

Affording a unique insight into the early Christian world, it is a must not only for the faithful but also for anyone interested in seeing a part of the roots from which Christianity sprang. However, it is important to bear in mind that photography is not allowed inside the cave.