Island
Patmos
PAT-moss · Modern Patmos, Greece
Patmos is a island of the biblical world.
What is known
- Where the Apostle John was exiled "because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus" (Revelation 1:9)
- Traditional site of John's visions recorded in the book of Revelation, said to have occurred in a cave now known as the Cave of the Apocalypse
History
- Founded
- A small Greek island inhabited since antiquity, used at times by Rome as a place of exile
- Population
- Estimated 300–1,500 residents in the 1st century AD — a small, sparsely populated Aegean island
- Industry
- Minimal — a modest, rocky island with little agriculture or trade
- Coordinates
- 37.3086° N, 26.5453° E
Rulers and powers
- Part of the Roman province of Asia — 1st century AD
Archaeology
The Cave of the Apocalypse (Grotto of the Revelation) on Patmos is venerated by long-standing Orthodox Christian tradition as the site where John received the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation, and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage designation alongside the nearby Monastery of Saint John the Theologian. This identification rests on centuries of religious tradition and pilgrimage rather than on archaeological excavation or first-century material evidence directly confirming the location, so it should be understood as a sacred traditional site rather than an archaeologically proven one.
Scripture references
- Revelation 1:9
On a modern map
Further reading
Reflect
John received his great vision in exile on a small island — what might God want to show you in an isolated season?
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