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The '''Patriarchal Exarchate of Patmos''' consists of the entire Island of Patmos (Greek: ''Πάτμος''), Leipso, Agathonesion and Arkioi and its constituent monasteries and churches. The exarchate is under the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Church of Constantinople]] in accordance with the Venerable Patriarchal and Synodical Act and Statute 1155/81. Patmos island is also referred to as the Jerusalem of the Aegean Sea, since it is the island of ascetic austerity and is a UNESCO World Heritage site <ref>UNESCO, World Heritage Site #942, webpage:[http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/942 WHC-UNESCO-942]</ref>. The Patriarchal Exarch and Abbot of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian is His Grace Archimandrite [[Andipas (Nikitaras) of Patmos|Andipas Nikitaras]].

Patmos is the northernmost island of the Dodecanese and is populated with [[church]]es and communities of Orthodox Christians. From During the very earliest timesperiod of Roman rule, the island fell into a decline. The population decreased, and the island became a place for banishing criminals or political and religious troublemakers. In 95 AD, Orthodox tradition has associated Patmos with St. [[John the Theologian]]; was sent into exile on the island as a religious ''troublemaker''. He remained on this the island is for eighteen months during which he lived in a cave below a known temple, at the time, dedicated to Diana. In this cave , he narrated a vision he was having of his exile and from where he wrote [[Jesus]] that is the [[Book of Revelation]]. More specifically, it is remembered as which describes the details of the place where he recorded his vision from [[JesusApocalypse]] that came to us as but is more a description about the "the Book Church" - ''outside of Revelationtime''. Revelation was also written as an exhortation to the Christian believers to stay true to their faith during the persecutions near the end of the first century.<ref>P. N. Tarazi, ''The New Testament - Introduction, Vol. 3 - Johannine Writings'', St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, Crestwood, New York, 2004 ISBN 0-88141-264-3</ref>  In 313 AD, Christianity was recognised by the Roman Empire and this also spread to the Dodecanesse. The empire of the Byzantium exercised control of Patmos and the other islands and by the 4th century the temple to Diana had been removed. Directly over this temple a church dedicated to St. John the Theologian was built but this was destroyed later between the 6th and 9th centuries during a series of raids by various Arab groups. The island remained deserted until 1088, when the Emperor granted Patmos to the [[monk]] Christodoulos. His intention was to establish a [[monastery]] and build this monastery over the remains of the little church built over the remains of a temple dedicated to Diana. The monastery has since been in continuous operation for over 900 years. During the 11th and 12th centuries, the island of Patmos was also subject to raids by Saracen and Norman pirates, which were the catalyst for building the fortified walls surrounding the monastery, giving it the modern day castle-like appearance. The small town (Chora) within the "castle" was probably established during the middle of the 17th century and has a labyrinth style street arrangement. <ref> Labyrinth style street designs are common on the islands purposely arranged to create a sense of confusion to pirates or threats intent on raiding the towns. </ref> During the Turco-Italian War of 1912, Patmos was captured and controlled by the Italians. The island remained under their control until the end of World War II, when it was returned to Greece.

== Monastery of St. John the Theologian = The God-Trodden island ===The '''Monastery tradition of Saint John the Theologian''' was founded by St. [[Christodoulos church holds, that the Latrinos]] 1088 ad, who had been granted Lord himself stepped foot on the whole island of Patmos with a golden bull by the Emperor of Byzantium Alexis I Komninos. The monastery belongs to using the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and is therefore a '''Patriarchal exarchate''' with a Patriarchal exarch, its abbot had special benefits.following account as reference:

The Monastery has ten chapels:In the Book of the Revelation (Apocalypse, four Chapter 1:12-18) a detailed description of the appearance of which are located Christ in His glory is given by the Apostle ... ''"His countenance was as the sun shineth in its yardstrength" (Rev. In 1, 16)''. St. John continutes by describing his actions to this ... ''"he fell at His feet as dead" (Rev. 1, 17)'' For the church, this proves that Christ's feet were touching the Catholic floor of the monasterycave for if it had been a vision in heaven, there he would not have been able to fall at His feet. This wondrous bodily presence of the Lord in the cave is reason ascribed to the great earthquake that made the rock in the Cave of the Apocalypse split in three forming a temple witness to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. To the church, this is the only location in Europe that God has walked making it the most sacred destination in Europe, followed by Mount Athos. === Folklore ======= The ship that turned to stone ====According to popular belief, if one looks across the water from the Monastery of unique artSt. John on a clear day, created it is possible to see a rock standing alone in 1829the middle of the sea. The rock looks like an overturned ship with its keel facing up towards the sky.  During the time that the righteous Christodoulos was building the monastery, a pirate ship approached the island with evil intentions. Christodoulos prayed to God to save the island from the pirates, since they had no place to hide to protect themselves. God answered his prayers by 12 sculptorscapsizing the ship and turning it to stone. The island was saved, and the ship that turned to stone is still around to remind us of this miracle == See also ===== The Monastery of St. John the Theologian ===''See Main Article: [[Monastery of St.John the Theologian (Patmos, Greece)]]''

Image:PatmosEntIc.JPG|<small>Monastery of St. John the Theologian - 1738 entrance with icon of St. John the Theologian and St. Chrysostom, founder of the monastery, both holding the monastery in their hands.</small>Image:PatmosPr.JPG|<small>Monastery of St. John the Theologian - Monk praying with prayer rope</small>Image:PatmosCY.JPG|<small>Monastery of St. John the Theologian - Courtyard outside the Museum and church</small>Image:PatmosBell.JPG|<small>Monastery of St. John the Theologian - Byzantine Bell at the top of monastery</small>

== = The Monastery Cave of the Apocalypse ===The '''See Main Article: [[Cave of the Apocalypse]]''' is situated between Skala and Chora. The view from the cave and the mysticism of the atmosphere are incredible. When he first arrived in Patmos, ''Christodoulos the Latrinos'' refurbished the cave. Today, a pilgrim can see the place at which the Apocalypse was written, the place where St. John stayed, the massive rock that opened up in there and through which God dictated the Apocalypse to St. John, the point were the Evangelist lay his head to rest and a curve on the rock, which he would hold onto, in order to rise - the southern part of the cave has been turned into a church.

Image:PatmosRamp.JPG|<small>Monastery of the Apocalypse - Outside the Cave</small>Image:Patmos.JPG|<small>Monastery of the Apocalypse - Inside the Cave</small>Image:PatmosV.JPG|<small>Monastery of the Apocalypse - View of Patmos from inside the Cave</small>

=== Theological School of Patmos ===''See main article [[Theological School of Patmos]]'' === The Baptistry of John===''See Main article [[Baptistry of John (Patmos)|Baptistry of John]] (located in the village of ''Skala'') === The Rock of Kynops ===''See Main article [[Rock of Kynops (Patmos)|Rock of Kynops]] (located in the port of ''Skala'') === Caves of Kynops and Sykamia ===See Main article: [[Kynops]] === Monastery of the Annunciation ===''See Main article [[Monastery of the Annunciation (Patmos)|Monastery of the Annunciation]]'' <!--- === List of Churches and Monasteries ===  

== UNESCO = Saints and Monastics ===::''See Main Article: [[UNESCO]]

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*For further information about the island of Patmos see [[w:Patmos|Patmos'''Wikipedia''']]