Today’s blog is about our time on the island of Patmos. It felt almost like a fever dream, where I’m not quite sure if it really happened, because our time was much too short there. (I guess this is fitting because I read the book of Revelation for the first time today and it too feels like a fever dream.) If you count the sleep we got at the Blue Bay hotel, we only had about 12 hours on the island.
We arrived at 3am by ferry to Patmos and slept for a few hours before having breakfast and departing at 9:30am for the Monastery of St. John.
Patmos is a small Greek island located in the Aegean Sea. It is part of the Dodecanese group of islands and is famous for being the place where the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament.

During the Byzantine era, Patmos became an important center of religious and cultural activity. Monasteries and churches were built, and the island became a place of learning and spirituality. The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, located in Chora, is one of the most significant Byzantine monasteries in Greece.

We had to walk up switchbacks to the monastery with shops along the way. We definitely took advantage of that on the way down.

The monastery had a beautiful open courtyard in the center. We were told that 12 monks live there today.
The chapel atrium way had beautiful frescos of Mary and the Christ child, and scenes of St. John coming to Patmos and writing the book of Revelation, as well as other biblical scenes. Although we were allowed to go inside to the narthex and a small chapel with relics of the skulls of past monks, we were not allowed to take pictures or enter into the main worship space of the chapel.
The monestery also has a museum that holds several ancient books and writings, icons, and worship items, like chalices and vestments. They had a few pages from an early edition of the gospel of Mark. We were not able to take pictures inside this part either. Patmos celebrates several traditional festivals that showcase its cultural heritage. One of the most notable festivals is the Feast of Saint John the Theologian, held on May 8th. The celebration includes religious processions, music, dancing, and local delicacies. Our tour guide shared that they take the icon of the suffering Jesus out of the museum for Holy Thursday for a religious procession and the monks reenact the foot washing of Jesus.
We then left the monastery and went to visit the Cave of the Apocalypse. Patmos is known as the "Island of the Apocalypse" because it is believed to be the place where the Apostle John received the divine revelation and wrote the Book of Revelation. It is a major pilgrimage site for Christians.
We were asked not to take pictures inside this holy place that has been turned into a chapel. The building has been built around the site that people believe to be the cave that John slept in and had St. Prochoros dictate his revelation from God to the churches of Asia-Minor.
Below is a photo of the icon used in Orthodox churches to depict this scene.
The historic center of Patmos, known as Chora, is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Chora is a well-preserved medieval town with traditional architecture, narrow streets, and whitewashed houses. Its cultural and architectural significance makes it a remarkable part of Greek history and culture.
We then had about 2 hours of free time to have lunch and what ever we wanted. The island also offers stunning beaches and crystal-clear waters, I couldn’t help but go swimming during our lunch break. The water was cold and refreshing and I was so glad for other travelers that wanted to experience swimming in the Mediterranean Sea with me.
We then had our passports checked to leave Greece and take a private ferry to Kusadasi, Turkey. The ride took about 3 hours. The boat had multiple levels to sit and enjoy the views and an inside cabin area where several of us took naps at certain points. A small group watched the movie Mamma Mia and I enjoyed reading through the book of Revelation for the first time on the same seas that John would have sailed.
When we arrived in Kusadasi, we were greeted by our travel company with red carnations. We went through boarder control and made it to our hotel for a late dinner. It was a beautiful and exhausting day. We were greeted by a gorgeous sunset over the water that our hotel looked over.
Good night for now. On to a new adventure bright and early tomorrow!
-Kylee
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