Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

The holy island of the Dodecanese, united to Greece in 1945. Patmos is associated with john the theologian , in whose day it was a Roman penal colony, and with the writing of the Apocalypse. The island's major monastery, dedicated to John, was founded in 1088 by Christodoulos, an elder from Mount Latros, to whom Patmos was given by Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. The Theologos monastery enjoyed imperial patronage; from the twelfth century its estates and its wealth increased greatly. Its wealth and privileges were generally preserved through the ottoman period. It attracted monks fleeing from Mount Latros and asia minor , and replaced Ephesus as principal shrine of the Theologian when Ephesus was devastated by the Turks. The monastery possesses a major collection of manuscripts, relics, icons and liturgical treasures. In recent years the elder Amphilochios of Patmos (d. 1970) has been widely venerated as an outstanding spiritual teacher. See also tinos . ... log in or subscribe to read full text