Early in
the morning, as we traverse the Aegean Sea from the coast of Turkey, the
blinding rays of the bright Turkish sun break through the clouds to sparkle on
the dazzlingly blue waves.
The
reflection of the blazing light stands in stark contrast to the dark mountains
of the surrounding islands and the shadows of the deep waters.
I am irresistibly reminded of the events that
took place here, aftershocks rippling out from the epicenter of Jerusalem,
where the Messiah was crucified, was buried, and rose again, breaking every
expectation and preconception of what God’s coming reign would be like.
The believers who lived in this place
understood themselves as being caught up in a grand story of cosmic
proportions, a conflict between good and evil, life and death, light and
darkness.
As we
approach our destination, I see the bright sunlight glimmering on the white
buildings of Patmos. They are painted to
reflect the Mediterranean sun and regulate the heat. Their flat roofs are used to collect
rainwater, but they also present a striking view from the ocean, white
geometric shapes scattered across the rolling hills. The island’s population of
roughly three thousand lives in three villages: Skala, Kampos, and Chora. A tiny Greek island in the Dodecanese chain,
Patmos is a breathtakingly beautiful site, understandably a significant tourist
location; the main economic focus of the island is tourism. However, there is more here to draw visitors than
the natural beauty of the beaches, mountains, surrounding ocean and islands,
and unparalleled views.
Though it is only thirteen square
miles, this island carries a surprising weight of history and significance. In one of the three villages, the Monastery
of St. John the Theologian holds relics from centuries and millennia past, many
of which bear great importance to people on this island and others around the
world. One of the most impressive is the
Codex Purpeurus Petropolitanus, or “Purple Codex,” an early manuscript of the
gospel of Mark written on red-dyed parchment in silver and gold lettering. Dating from the late 5th-early 6th
century, this is not only a valuable piece of art, but also an important
theological artifact, as it is thought to be one of the sources of the New
Testament. This book is surrounded by
many other beautiful pieces: ancient texts, relics and priestly vestments, and
frescoes and icons depicting biblical scenes, saints, and heavenly beings.
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| St John the Theologian, Jesus Christ, and Christodoulos Latrenus |
The entrance to the monastery displays a more recent piece
of art: a triptych-like mosaic depicting three figures, donated in 1995.
In the center is Christ, on the left is St.
John the Theologian, and on the right is Christodoulos Latrenus.
Christodoulos, whose name means “servant of
Christ,” was the founder of the monastery.
A millennium ago, in 1088, Christodoulos appealed for permission to
construct a monastery on the island of Patmos in honor of John, the writer of the
book of Revelation.
This permission was
granted by the current ruler, Emperor Alexios I Comnenos.
The island was, at this point, plagued by
pirates, and its inhabitants lived in fear of attack.
Because of this, the monastery was fortified
significantly – viewed from the outside, it looks more like a castle than a
church.
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| The view above the front gate of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian |
Above the
front gate, St. John, the Theologian is depicted once again.
John is the most significant individual
connected to Patmos and Christian history, and most of the historical sites on
the island are somehow related to his life and legacy.
To discover what made his experience on the
island of Patmos so significant to this day, we must travel back another
millennium.
This John who wrote the book
of Revelation is thought by some to be the same John who wrote the epistles I,
II, and III John and the Gospel of John, the same John who was one of Jesus’
original twelve disciples.
The
inhabitants of Patmos adhere to this belief; in any case, John, the Revelator
was a leader in the early church, significantly at Ephesus, during the rule of
the Roman Empire.
The Empire found that
it was necessary to maintain greater unity throughout its vast area, so it
enforced the practice of emperor worship as a requirement for partaking of the
empire’s commercial and economic resources.
Christians who would not comply were seen as treasonous and as a threat;
John was one such Christ-follower who was so outspoken about the Lordship of
Christ over and against the enforced confession “Caesar is Lord” that he was
exiled under the Emperor Domitian’s rule.
He would have been deprived of rights and property, and could look
forward to a permanent stay on the island.
John is traditionally thought to have been exiled along with Prochorus,
an early deacon in the church and said by some to be John’s nephew.
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| St. John the Theologian and his pupil, Prochorus |
St. John,
the Theologian would have been confined to the small island, likely living in a
house in one of the villages. He is
thought to have visited a cave facing the bay to pray, and this traditional
location has become one of the most significant sites on the island: the Cave
of the Apocalypse. The word apocalypse
means to unveil or reveal something hidden, to provide a glimpse into a
heavenly reality intersecting with our own earthly experience, and this is what
John encountered and then provided for others.
He saw a vision of the resurrected Christ, who is described in vivid
metaphorical imagery that icon painters have been inspired by as they attempt
to depict this powerful scene recounted in Revelation 1.
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| The church built on top of the cave |
The natural
cave where this may have taken place has been converted into a kind of church,
and Greek Orthodox services are held there regularly. The rough rock walls and wooden benches are
juxtaposed against the ornate Orthodox decorations and the intricately stylized
icons. Slender candles can be lit by
visitors and pilgrims to represent their prayers offered to God. Even apart from all this, however, the cave
itself is an astounding place. I found
myself overwhelmed by the thought that in this cave, or in a place very like
it, John heard the voice of God and turned around to see the risen Jesus. I was amazed to look out from the cave and
see the same mountains and oceans that John must have gazed at as he prayed for
and longed to be reunited with the believers in Ephesus whom he loved.
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| The view from the Cave of the Apocalypse |
John wrote
the book of Revelation in the year 95 C.E., during his exile, and sent it to
seven churches in Turkey.
He was
eventually freed, when Emperor Domitian was assassinated and the subsequent
ruler annulled his predecessor’s decrees.
A thousand years later, the Monastery of the Apocalypse was built
directly over the cave.
As we return to our boat and travel back to Turkey, I am powerfully struck by the fact that John traversed these
same waters, no doubt eagerly anticipating his reunion with his brothers and
sisters in Christ.
Even as I look around
at the same Aegean Sea that John saw, I also recognize the distance of millennia
that separates us from his experience.
What
is just as amazing, however, is that his legacy still has a more profound
impact on our lives today that we will ever know.
His message of hope in the midst of
suffering, the call to persevere and conquer in the face of persecution and
difficulty, and the vision to see the evil in the world while also recognizing
that good will triumph can all encourage us and inspire us to worship along
with the church throughout the past two thousand years.
Christ still calls us to repent, literally to
turn around, and to see who He is and what He has for us to do as we step into
the light and become a part of God’s redemptive work in His Creation.
Michael Huerter
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