Monastery of Theologos in Patmos

The first image that overwhelms you when you arrive by boat at Patmos is the imposing castle-monastery of Agios Ioannis the Theologian standing like a crown at the top of Chora. It was founded in 1088 by Saint Christodoulos to whom the whole island was donated by the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I. Komninos. It was built on the spot where it is believed that the Apostle John wrote the Gospel and Revelation, near the cave where he had the visions of Revelation. Most of the monastery was completed by him Saint Christodoulos three years later, after fortifying it with huge walls due to threats from pirates and the Seljuk Turks.

The height of the walls of the Monastery exceeds 15 meters, its length from north to south is 53 meters and from east to west 70. The organization of the buildings inside the castle is around a pebble courtyard where in the center there is a large tank, while around the perimeter there are churches, dormitories, kitchens, cells, dining rooms and warehouses.

The Museum of the Monastery It was also built by Osios Christodoulos, who bequeathed to it the most valuable icons listed in his will. This exquisite museum at the Monastery of Theologos in Patmos is one of the largest museums with religious relics and treasures in Greece.

It is about a amazing collection from pictures, original manuscripts of the Bible, silver and gold objects, races sewn with silver and gold threads and adorned with precious stones and much more.

Most of the museum's exhibits are invaluable.

Hidden in the bowels of the Monastery of Theologos in Patmos, library hides another untold treasure, as it now houses more than 3.000 printed books, 900 manuscripts and 13.000 documents dating back to before 1073.

The documents also include founding founding gold bulls as well as all other documents concerning the foundation, the estates, possessions and the various privileges of the Monastery of Theologos, starring the founding gold bullion of the Emperor Alexios Komnenos, with which in 1088 he granted the island to Saint Christodoulos.

This library, equipped with special security systems, is not open to the public, unless someone has a special license, which is usually given to scientific theologians or Byzantine scholars.