The Island of Patmos & the Cave of Saint John
About the Island of Patmos:
It was to this Island that John the Apostle was banished and received the visions that he recorded in the Book of the Apocalypse, better known as the “Book of Revelation”. (There is no “S” on the end, by the way, it is singular. Just in case you were wondering).
John had gone to Ephesus to preach the gospel, and as a result he incurred the wrath of the Emporer Domitian. Domitian had him exiled to Patmos around 90 AD (the exact date is not known) and he stayed there until the death of Domitian in 97 AD.
After that, he returned to Ephesus where he lived out his life.
About The Cave of Saint John on Patmos:
Known locally as the Cave of the Aplocalypse, the cave is one of the major attractions on the island. Since Patmos is a popular port of call for cruise ships, it can be quite crowded with tourists when cruise ships are in port.
If you are not on a cruise, then try for early morning or late afternoon when there are not many cruise passengers. There is also ferry service to the island.
Traveling to Patmos & the Cave of Saint John:
Most people arrive by sea, whether by ferry or cruise ship. Ferries depart from several Greek ports and can dock right at the port; however, Cruise ships cannot dock since the port of Skala is so small. When you arrive you have to be taken by tender to the island. This can be a bit of a rough experience and there is the slight possibility that you may not get to go at all if the sea is too rough. From the port it is a short taxi ride up to the cave.
You can also see Saint John’s Monastery that overlooks the island.
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