Monastery of Saint John the Theologian

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
Patmos monastery.jpg
Country Greece
Type Cultural
Criteria iii, iv, vi
Reference 942
Region ** Europe and North America
Coordinates 37°18′33.08″N 26°32′52.99″E / 37.3091889°N 26.5480528°E / 37.3091889; 26.5480528
Inscription history
Inscription 1999 (23rd Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List
** Region as classified by UNESCO

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 built on a spot venerated by both Catholics and Eastern Orthodox as the cave where St. John of Patmos had visions.

History

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), 82 manuscript 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]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ UNESCO, World Heritage Site #942, webpage:WHC-UNESCO-942.
  2. ^ "Monastery of St. John, Patmos". July 20, 2010. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/patmos-monastery-of-st-john.htm. Retrieved 13 December 2010. 
  3. ^ Manuscripts by place at the INTF.