Patmos
A Place of Vision, A Place of Encounter
St. John the Beloved wrote the book of Revelation while he was exiled on the Greek island of Patmos. An Orthodox monastery dedicated to him crowns this tiny island, and he is also honored in a small cave where he was thought to have received the visions recounted in the last book of the New Testament.
From the Roman Missal - Collect of St. John
O God, who through the Blessed Apostle John
have unlocked for us the secrets of your Word,
grant, we pray,
that we may grasp with proper understanding
what he has so marvelously brought to our ears.
Through Our lord Jesus Christ, Your son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Inside the Cave of the Apocalypse, by simonjenkins' photos [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Pray with the Saints
Here are some resources to prepare for this pilgrimage:
“In the end, Christ himself, the slaughtered Lamb, calls to all peoples: “So come, you of all races of men who are ensnared by your sins, and receive forgiveness for your sins. Indeed, I am your forgiveness, the Passover of your salvation; I am the Lamb slain for you, I am your redemption, your way, your resurrection, your light, your salvation and your king. It is I who lead you to the heights of Heaven, I who will show you the Father who exists from eternity, I who will raise you to life with my right hand” ”
