Patmos: A Revelation (Pun Intended)

On board the Star Clipper in the Patmos harbor

We were not scheduled to arrive in Patmos until 1:00 PM Monday, so it was a great day for sleeping in and then relaxing over a mid-morning cup of coffee while reminiscing over last nights antics.  The lunch buffet was soon ready and we hungrily descended on a rather delightfully cooked roast sucking pig. The pork was tender, juicy and surprisingly free of fat. Of course we couldn’t resist the requisite jokes about checking the roles to discover which pig among the passengers may have been sacrificed for our benefit.  

Monastery view from harbor

The weather was a bit warmer than yesterday, but once again we were dazzled by the bluest skies imaginable. As we pulled into the Patmos harbor we could see the Monastery of St. John at the highest point of the island. Being a bit of a history geek, I was quite excited about today’s tour, which included the cave from which St John (think Gospel of) wrote the Book of Revelation as well as the Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to him.  However, like their Spanish brothers, Greeks are also quite fond of the afternoon siesta, so we were on a rather tight schedule to squeeze in both the cave and the monastery before nap time

The entrance to the cave has been enclosed by a chapel

The cave was a bit tight for the 40 or so healthy guys crammed into it, but our tour guide did a great job of moving us along and explaining the significance of the locations. It was obvious from both the decorations and iconography that the cave was a place of reverence and pilgrimage. I do not recall much information about St. John from my rather tepid Methodist upbringing, but apparently there is quite an orthodox mythology surrounding the historical figure that includes his time as an apostle, his exile from Rome to Patmos when he was 90+ years old, the ordeals and suffering on this last journey, and his ascension into heaven upon his death.

The cave from in which St. John received his revelation

The screen of icons obscures the cracks in the wall from which St. John heard the revelation.

Monastery of St. John on Patmos

The cave is really quite small and a bit stuffy, so after a brief explanation and quick walk about, we all headed back to the bus for our visit to the monastery of St John, which is located on the highest point of the island, above the cave entrance.

The Star Clipper: View from the Monastery

The monks were not too happy that we arrived during their scheduled nap time, but they did keep the monastery open for our tour. The chapel within the monastery was really quite small, but the icons, art, silver and brass work were quite stunning. Like the cave before it, there was no air conditioning in the chapel and it started to get a bit moist as we all crowded into the small spaces. Our guide explained the symbolism of the art and the differences between the Orthodox and Catholic faiths. Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed in the sanctuary, but once the official tour was completed, we had time to walk around the monastery for pictures.

Monastery of St. John at Patmos

Merry Monks: Dave, Lanny, and Bruce

Following the tour we had a bit of time for shopping and a few beers by the harbor before heading back to the ship.

Boats: Both for sale

Although we were not really in a hurry to get back to the ship, there were cocktails waiting. And we all know that a cocktail waits for no man.

Next stop: Kusadasi, Turkey