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 | |
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| Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
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| Location | Greece |
| Type | Religious and Cultural |
| Criteria | iii, iv, vi |
| Reference | 942 |
| UNESCO region | Europe and North America |
| Coordinates | 37°18′33.08″N 26°32′52.99″E / 37.3091889°N 26.5480528°E |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1999 (23rd Session) |
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. It is named after St. John of Patmos.
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.
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.
As of 2012, 40 monks reside here. The monastery has, amongst its relics, the skull of Saint Thomas the Apostle.
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