Monastery of Saint John the Theologian

Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint John "the Theologian" and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Location Chorá, Greece
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Coordinates 37°18′33.08″N 26°32′52.99″E / 37.3091889°N 26.5480528°E / 37.3091889; 26.5480528
Criteria iii, iv, vi
Reference 942
Inscription 1999 (23rd Session)
Location of Monastery of Saint John the Theologian

The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian (also called Monastery of Saint John the Divine) is a Greek Orthodox monastery founded in 1088 in Chora on the island of Patmos. UNESCO has declared it a World Heritage site.[1] It is named after St. John of Patmos.

History

Exterior view of the monastery walls

In 1088, Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos gave the island of Patmos to the soldier-priest John Christodoulos. The greater part of the monastery was completed by Christodoulos three years later. He heavily fortified the exterior because of the threats of piracy and Seljuk Turks.[2]

330 manuscripts are housed in the library (267 on parchment), including 82 manuscripts of the New Testament. Minuscules: 1160-1181, 1385-1389, 1899, 1901, 1966, 2001-2002, 2080-2081, 2297, 2464-2468, 2639, 2758, 2504, 2639, and lectionaries.[3]

As of 2012, 40 monks reside here. The monastery has, amongst its relics, the skull of Saint Thomas the Apostle.[4]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ UNESCO, World Heritage Site #942, webpage:WHC-UNESCO-942.
  2. ↑ "Monastery of St. John, Patmos". July 20, 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
  3. ↑ Manuscripts by place at the INTF.
  4. ↑ http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/10/skull-of-holy-apostle-thomas-in-patmos.html


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