The Cruise.... Day 2, The Island of Patmos

Saturday afternoon, we stopped on the small Greek island in the Aegean Sea called Patmos. Patmos is mentioned in the book of Relevation in the Bible; it is the place to which the apostle John was exiled and where John received a vision from Jesus. The weather on the island was overcast, and the island had a feeling of seclusion and peace, maybe because tourists were constantly told to keep quiet in honor of the sacred sights. Below is a picture of the mosaic at the entrance of the Cave of the Apocalyse, the exact place where, according to legend, that John the apostle received the vision recorded in the book of Revelation. The mosaic depicts Polycarp (the scribe of John, exiled on Patmos along with John) and John, dictating his vision to Polycarp. Our whole group huddled in the tiny cave and sang "Hallelujah," which echoed and gave me chill bumps. The monk supervising the cave said he had not heard such beautiful singing in all his years of service in the cave!

In a monastery dedicated to Saint John, this bearded monk watched the entrance and read.

Here is a picturesque view of Patmos from the top of the hill.

Below is the monastery of Saint John again.