Today we arrived at Patmos at 2:00. We took the tender into port and then met our tour for a drive around the island of Patmos. This island is quite small - only 34 square kilometers. There are about 3,000 people that live here and there are just over 400 churches. There isn’t sufficient water on the island so it has to be brought to the island by boat. People collect the rainwater to use for gardening … but most of the island is a mixture of scrub plants and rocks. The drive around the island was one of great beauty. We went up to a high part on the island and we were able to get some spectacular pictures of the panorama below. It was truly breathtaking. On the highest point of the island, only 800 meters, is the 11th century monastery of St. John the Theologian. Which brings me to the next important spot that was on our tour.
We went into the Grotto of the Revelation. This is where St. John the Theologian received the visions that resulted in the Book of Revelations that is the last Book of the New Testament. This tells of the end of days…..the apocalypse….Armageddon….the four horsemen….all things dark and terrible when the earth as we know it is supposed to end in December of 2012. Now, St. John dictated this epistle to his scribe 2,000 years ago. I don’t think he concerned himself with the ordinary individuals who would be living under this shadow of doom and gloom.
The purpose of my visit to this sacred Grotto was to take a moment in this most holy place to ask the spirit of St. John – JUST WHAT WAS HE THINKING??? After having visited this Grotto and seeing the rock where he rested his head – I know now that all these visions were most likely terrible nightmares that came from trying to sleep in a cold, damp, dark cave with his head in a depression in a rock wall! Next I will have to visit where Nostradamus was sleeping and see if he was in similar discomfort that resulted in his horrific visions. My mission was successful and now onto Ephasus.
Today we arrived at Patmos at 2:00. We took the tender into port and then met our tour for a drive around the island of Patmos. This island is quite small - only 34 square kilometers. There are about 3,000 people that live here and there are just over 400 churches. There isn’t sufficient water on the island so it has to be brought to the island by boat. People collect the rainwater to use for gardening … but most of the island is a mixture of scrub plants and rocks. The drive around the island was one of great beauty. We went up to a high part on the island and we were able to get some spectacular pictures of the panorama below. It was truly breathtaking. On the highest point of the island, only 800 meters, is the 11th century monastery of St. John the Theologian. Which brings me to the next important spot that was on our tour.
We went into the Grotto of the Revelation. This is where St. John the Theologian received the visions that resulted in the Book of Revelations that is the last Book of the New Testament. This tells of the end of days…..the apocalypse….Armageddon….the four horsemen….all things dark and terrible when the earth as we know it is supposed to end in December of 2012. Now, St. John dictated this epistle to his scribe 2,000 years ago. I don’t think he concerned himself with the ordinary individuals who would be living under this shadow of doom and gloom. 
The purpose of my visit to this sacred Grotto was to take a moment in this most holy place to ask the spirit of St. John – JUST WHAT WAS HE THINKING??? After having visited this Grotto and seeing the rock where he rested his head – I know now that all these visions were most likely terrible nightmares that came from trying to sleep in a cold, damp, dark cave with his head in a depression in a rock wall! Next I will have to visit where Nostradamus was sleeping and see if he was in similar discomfort that resulted in his horrific visions. My mission was successful and now onto Ephasus.
3 comments:
Hi April,
You certainly are having a great look around at some fascinating places. Glad you got to the grotto. I was always amazed at the grip the church has on the inhabitants of such communities. 3000/400 gives each church a parish of just seven or eight worshippers. I imagine many of the churches are not really used any more but it is amazing that they once had been centres of communication and worship. Hard to imagine on an island with such a water difficulty. I wonder how they got enough before modern transportation? We Canadians could probably learn a lot about water conservation from them although at this time of year we lower mainlanders would love to give them all they want! Sigh - another rainy day coming.....
Lots of love,
Brian
I am so glad that you have come to some understanding with the spirit of St. John! The weather looks wonderful. We are into a spell of rain and then onto more seasonal in the next couple of days. Highs of 17 we hope with some sun. The Maple and Dogwoods in the yard are still trying to "wake up". Mom is well and enjoys your updates.
Hugs to you both
Johnny and those darn Mayans too!! Good thing you're taking your trip this year.
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