Patmos

{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox Greek Dimos
|name              = Patmos
|name_local        = Πάτμος
|type = municipality
|image_map         = 2011 Dimos Patmou.png
|image_skyline     = Chora-of-Patmos.JPG
|caption_skyline   = Chora and the Castle of Patmos
|coordinates       = {{coord|37|19.5|N|26|32.5|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_min     = 0
|elevation_max     = 270
|periph            = [[South Aegean]]
|periphunit        = [[Kalymnos (regional unit)|Kalymnos]]
|pop_municipality  = 3283
|area_municipality = 45.0
|mayor             = Nikitas Tsampalakis<ref>{{Cite web |title=Municipality of Patmos: Municipal elections – October 2023 |url=https://ekloges.ypes.gr/current/d/home/en/municipalities/9279/ |access-date=10 October 2023 |website=www.ekloges.ypes.gr}}</ref>
|party             = 
|since             = October 2023
|population_as_of  = 2021
|postal_code       = 855 xx
|area_code         = 22470
|licence           = KX, PO, PK
|website           = {{Official URL}}
}}

'''Patmos''' ({{lang-el|Πάτμος}}, {{IPA-el|ˈpatmos|pron}}) is a [[Greece|Greek]] island in the [[Aegean Sea]]. It is famous as the location where [[John of Patmos]] received the visions found in the [[Book of Revelation]] of the [[New Testament]], and where the book was written.

One of the northernmost islands of the [[Dodecanese]] complex,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geographic.org/geographic_names/name.php?uni=393642&fid=2196&c=greece |title=Pátmos: Greece |work=Geographical Names |access-date=2014-09-03}}</ref> Patmos has a population of 3,283 (2021) and an area of {{convert|34.05|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. The highest point is Profitis Ilias, {{convert|269|m}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]]. The '''[[Communities and Municipalities of Greece|municipality]] of Patmos''', which includes the offshore islands of [[Arkoi]] (pop. 44), [[Marathos Island|Marathos]] (pop. 5), and several uninhabited islets, has a total population of 3,047 (2011 census)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://greecetravelog.com/patmos-island-greece/ |title= Patmos Island Greece &#124; Greece Travel|website=greecetravelog.com |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121105212139/http://greecetravelog.com/patmos-island-greece/ |archive-date=2012-11-05}}</ref> and a combined land area of {{convert|45.039|km²}}.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-21 }}</ref> It is part of the [[Kalymnos (regional unit)|Kalymnos regional unit]].

In 1999, the island's historic center Chora, along with the [[Monastery of Saint John the Theologian]] and the [[Cave of the Apocalypse]], were declared [[World Heritage Site]]s by [[UNESCO]] because of their significance in Christianity and the preservation of ancient religious ceremonies that occur on the island.<ref name = "unesco">{{cite web |url = https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/942 |title = The Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint-John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos |website = UNESCO World Heritage Convention |publisher = United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization |access-date = 3 December 2022}}</ref> The monastery was founded by Christodoulos Latrinos.<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Patmos}}</ref> Patmos is also home to the Patmian School, a notable Greek [[seminary]].

==History==
[[File:Patmos02.jpg|thumb|240px|View of the port (Skala)]]
[[File:Meloi.JPG|thumb|right|240px|The beach of Meloi, within walking distance of Skala]]
[[File:Chora di Patmos con il Monastero di San Giovanni "il teologo".JPG|thumb|240px|[[Monastery of Saint John the Theologian]]]]

===The birth of Patmos according to Greek mythology===

According to a [[legend]] in [[Greek mythology]], the island's original name was "Letois", after the goddess and huntress of deer, [[Artemis]], daughter of [[Leto]]. It was believed that Patmos came into existence thanks to her divine intervention.

Artemis frequently paid visits to [[Caria]], the mainland across the shore from Patmos, where she had a shrine on [[Mount Latmus]]. There she met the moon goddess [[Selene]], who cast her light on the ocean, revealing the sunken island of Patmos.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

Selene was always trying to get Artemis to bring the sunken island to the surface and hence to life. Selene finally convinced Artemis, who, in turn, gained her brother [[Apollo]]'s help to persuade [[Zeus]] to allow the island to arise from the sea.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

Zeus agreed, and the island emerged from the water. The sun dried up the land and brought life to it. Gradually, inhabitants from the surrounding areas, including Mount Latmos, settled on the island and named it "Letois" in honour of Artemis.<ref>[http://www.patmos.gr/index.asp Patmos – official website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915161648/http://www.patmos.gr/index.asp |date=15 September 2008 }} Legendary folk tales and mythology. Retrieved on 4 September 2008.</ref>[[File:Jacopo vignali, san giovanni evangelista a patmos.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''John the Apostle on Patmos'', a 17th-century painting by [[Jacopo Vignali]].]]

===History from the Classical period to the present===
Patmos is seldom mentioned by ancient writers. Therefore, very little is known about the earliest inhabitants. In the Classical period, the Patmians prefer to identify themselves as [[Dorians]] descending from the families of [[Argos, Peloponnese|Argos]], [[Sparta]] and [[Epidaurus]], further mingling with people of [[Ionians|Ionian]] ancestry.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

During the 3rd century BC, in the [[Hellenistic period]], the settlement of Patmos acquired the form of an [[acropolis]] with an improved defence through a fortification wall and towers.<ref name=PatmosOff>[http://www.patmos.gr/index.asp Patmos – official website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915161648/http://www.patmos.gr/index.asp |date=15 September 2008 }} Retrieved on 2008-09-04.</ref>

Patmos is mentioned in the [[Book of Revelation]], the last book of the [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Bible]]. The book's introduction states that its author, [[John of Patmos|John]], was on Patmos when he was given (and recorded) a vision from [[Jesus]]. Early Christian tradition identified this writer [[John of Patmos]] as [[John the Apostle]].<ref name="Justin">Justin Martyr, ''Dialogue with Trypho'', 81.4</ref> For this reason, Patmos is a destination for Christian [[pilgrimage]]. Visitors can see the cave where John is said to have received his Revelation (the [[Cave of the Apocalypse]]), and several [[monastery|monasteries]] on the island are dedicated to Saint John.

After the death of [[John of Patmos]], possibly around 100 AD, a number of Early Christian [[basilicas]] were erected on Patmos. Among these was a Grand Royal Basilica in honour of Saint John, built c. 300–350 AD at the location where the [[Monastery of Saint John the Theologian]] stands today.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

Early Christian life on Patmos, however, barely survived Muslim raids from the 7th to the 9th century.{{citation needed|reason=all refs seem to say 6th century. But the latter is impossible since there were no Muslims then|date=October 2011}} During this period, the Grand Basilica was destroyed. In 1088, the [[Byzantine Emperor]] [[Alexios I Komnenos]] gave Christodoulos Latrinos the complete authority over the island of Patmos, as well as the permission to build a monastery on the island. The construction of the monastery started in 1101.<ref name=PatmosOff/><ref name = greeka>[https://www.patmos.gr/history/?lang=en Patmos.gr] – Patmos history. Retrieved on 7 February 2023.</ref>

Population was expanded by infusions of [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] immigrants fleeing the [[Fall of Constantinople]] in 1453, and [[Crete|Cretan]] immigrants fleeing the [[Cretan War (1645–1669)#Fall of Candia|fall of Candia]] in 1669.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

The island was controlled by the [[Ottoman Empire]] for many years, but it enjoyed certain privileges, mostly related to tax-free trade by the monastery as certified by Ottoman imperial documents held in the Library.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}} Ottoman rule in Patmos ("Batnaz" in Ottoman Turkish) was interrupted by initially Venetian occupation during [[Candian War]] between 1659 and 1669, then [[Russia]]n occupation during [[Orlov Revolt]] between 1770 and 1774 and finally during the [[Greek War of Independence]].

In 1912, in connection with the [[Italo-Turkish War]], the [[Italians]] occupied all the islands of the [[Dodecanese]] (except [[Kastellorizo]]), including Patmos. The Italians remained there until 1943, when [[Nazi Germany]] took over the island.<ref name="FantReddish2003">{{cite book|author1=Clyde E. Fant|author2=Mitchell G. Reddish|title=A Guide to Biblical Sites in Greece and Turkey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=248rXe16v9YC&pg=PA94|date=23 October 2003|publisher=Oxford University Press, USA|isbn=978-0-19-513917-4|pages=94–}}</ref>

In 1945, the Germans left and the island of Patmos remained autonomous until 1948, when, together with the rest of the Dodecanese Islands, it joined the independent Greece.<ref name=greeka/>

===21st century===
In September 2008, the municipality of Patmos refused landing to a group of undocumented refugees from [[Afghanistan]] and [[Iraq]]. On the weekend of September 19, 2008, about 134 refugees were rescued at sea. The refugees were taken to Patmos, the nearest municipality, for processing and care. The administration refused them permission to land. Eventually they were sent to the island of [[Leros]] where they were processed and given humanitarian aid.<ref>[http://www.nylou.com/html/ent/319/ent.45319.1.asp Nylou Editorial]</ref><ref>[http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=44017 Interpress Agency: ''Refugees Kept At Sea''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015010016/http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=44017 |date=15 October 2008 }}</ref>

''[[Forbes]]'' magazine, in 2009, named Patmos "Europe's most idyllic place to live", writing that "Patmos has evolved over the centuries but has not lost its air of quiet tranquility, which is one reason why people that know it return again and again".<ref>Forbes, webpage:[https://www.forbes.com/2009/09/03/europe-most-idyllic-places-lifestyle-real-estate_slide_11.html].</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Patmos3 002.jpg|thumb|Kalikatsou Rock, Petra Beach]]

Patmos is situated off the west coast of Turkey and the continent of Asia. It is one of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex. It is further west than its nearby neighboring islands.

It has an area of {{convert|34.05|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. The highest point is Profitis Ilias, {{convert|269|m|0|abbr=off}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]].

Patmos' main communities are Chora (the capital city) and Skala, the only commercial port. Other settlements are Grikou and Kampos.

==Economy==
[[File:Chora of Patmos1.jpg|thumb|left|Street of Chora]]

===Tourism===
Patmos's economy is largely reliant on tourism during the summer months with Christian [[pilgrims]] frequently visiting due to the island's connection with the apostle John and the writing of the Book of Revelation.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/feb/12/revelations-at-patmos/ | title=Revelations at Patmos: Visiting the site where the Apocalypse of John was penned | date=12 February 2022 }}</ref>

The Monastery of Saint John and the Cave of the Apocalypse are among the sites most often visited by pilgrims.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/places-to-visit/what-to-do-in-patmos-greeces-mysterious-holy-island | title=What to do in Patmos, Greece's mysterious holy island }}</ref> However, the beaches and quiet natural beauty have also led to an increase in tourists. 

[[File:Patmos View 2023.jpg|thumb|View from the [[Monastery of Saint John the Theologian]]]]

Investors from SMERemediumCap (SMERC) have recently committed 20 million euro to build a luxury hotel situated on the Greek island of Patmos. The aim of this project is to enhance the tourism appeal of the island. This investment is the largest ever made on the island and highlights the commitment of SMERC to promote Patmos as a world-class tourist destination.<ref>Nikos, K. (2023, March 29). Patmos: €20m hotel investment to boost island's tourism appeal. GTP Headlines. https://news.gtp.gr/2023/03/29/patmos-e20m-hotel-investment-to-boost-islands-tourism-appeal/</ref>

As one of the quietest Greek Islands, the island's natural beauty and UNESCO World Heritage monuments, combined with its intense spirituality, have a profound impact on visitors and leave them deeply moved.<ref>Times: Andros, Patmos and 8 other islands singled out for a quieter Greek getaway. (2022). TornosNews.GR. https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/tornos/trends/47577-uk-times-andros-patmos-and-eight-other-islands-singled-out-for-a-quieter-greek-getaway.html
</ref>

==Health==
For emergencies, Patmos has a medical centre, with several medical doctors on the premises. When residents require hospitalization beyond first aid, they are airlifted out of the island by helicopter (in emergencies) to nearby hospitals or, if the weather permits, they are transported by ferry.<ref>Greece links islands with 24hr health units as it opens to tourists. (2020, June 12). GTP Headlines. https://news.gtp.gr/2020/06/12/greece-links-islands-with-24hr-health-units-as-opens-to-tourists/</ref>

==Infrastructure==

===Ferry===
The Island of Patmos has regular ferry services, which connect it to the following ports: [[Agathonissi|Agathonissi Island]], [[Mykonos Island]], [[Paros|Paros Island]], [[Piraeus]] (the main port of Athens), [[Pythagoreio]] and [[Karlovassi]] on [[Samos|Samos Island]], [[Syros|Syros Island]], [[Leros|Leros Island]], [[Naxos|Naxos Island]], [[Arkoi]], [[Lipsi|Lipsi Island]], [[Symi|Symi Island]] and [[Rhodes|Rhodes Island]].

==Notable people==
<!---need brief reason how notable is tied to Patmos and a reliable citation tying them to Patmos-->
*[[John of Patmos]], author of the Book of Revelation
*[[Patriarch Jeremias III of Constantinople]]
*[[Patriarch Neophytus VI of Constantinople]]
*[[Patriarch Jacob of Alexandria]]{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}
*[[Emmanuil Xanthos]], founder of [[Filiki Eteria]]
*[[Teddy Millington-Drake]], English artist<ref>{{cite news |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-teddy-millington-drake-1448310.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-teddy-millington-drake-1448310.html |archive-date=2022-05-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Obituary: Teddy Millington-Drake |first=Jonathan |last=Hope |date=12 September 1994 |access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref>
*[[Robert Lax]], American poet
*[[Emmanuel Carrère]], French novelist<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lexpress.fr/culture/emmanuel-carrere-avec-yoga-inspirer-pour-ne-pas-expirer_2133458.html|title = Emmanuel Carrère : Avec "Yoga", inspirer pour ne pas expirer|date = 28 August 2020}}</ref>
*[[Laurence de Cambronne]], French journalist<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/m-actu/article/2016/06/10/une-annee-a-leros-le-journal-de-bord-sur-facebook_4947697_4497186.html|title = Une année à Leros : Le journal de bord sur Facebook|newspaper = Le Monde.fr|date = 10 June 2016}}</ref>
*[[Amphilochios (Makris) of Patmos]], A 20th-century saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Greece}}

===Twin towns — Sister cities===
Patmos is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:

*{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Auderghem]], [[Belgium]]
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Grottaferrata]], [[Italy]]<ref name="Greek twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.kedke.gr/uploads/twinnedcities.pdf|title=Twinnings|access-date=2013-08-25|work=Central Union of Municipalities & Communities of Greece|archive-date=2016-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115172503/http://www.kedke.gr/uploads/twinnedcities.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|UK}} [[Glastonbury]], [[United Kingdom]]

==See also==
*[[Icaria]] – island to the northwest
*[[Patmos, Arkansas]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* Tom Stone:'' The Summer of My Greek Taverna: A Memoir'', Simon & Schuster, New York NY 2003, {{ISBN|0-7432-4771-X}} (Stone brings readers into the tiny Greek island world of Patmos.)

==External links==
{{Commons category|Patmos}}
*{{Official website|http://www.patmos.gr/}} {{in lang|en|el}}
*https://www.patmosweb.gr/ 
*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/greece/patmos/articles/patmos-travel-guide/ Patmos Travel Guide](English)
*[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/08/28/t-magazine/travel-diary-irene-neuwirth.html?_r=0 Irene Neuwirth's eight great days in Greece](English)

{{Dodecanese Islands}}
{{World Heritage Sites in Greece}}
{{Kallikratis-South Aegean}}
{{Aegean Sea}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Municipalities of the South Aegean]]
[[Category:Populated places in Kalymnos (regional unit)]]
[[Category:Patmos| ]] <!--deliberate establishment of its own category. There will be others such as villages and UNESCO sites-->
[[Category:Landforms of Kalymnos (regional unit)]]
[[Category:Islands of the South Aegean]]
[[Category:Islands of Greece]]
[[Category:Dodecanese]]
[[Category:New Testament places]]
[[Category:Book of Revelation]]
[[Category:Greek city-states]]