Cave of the Apocalypse

Cave of the Apocalypse is a sacred grotto on the Greek island of Patmos, located halfway between the villages of Chora and Skala, along the road to the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian.  According to Christian tradition, it is the site where St.  John the Apostle (also known as John the Revelator) received divine visions during his exile on Patmos under Emperor Domitian in the 1st century AD. These visions were recorded in the Book of Revelation, the final book of the New Testament. 

The cave is renowned for its three fissures in the rock, believed to symbolize the Holy Trinity, through which the voice of God is said to have spoken to St.  John. Inside, visitors can see a rock indentation where John is said to have rested his head, a cavity used for support when rising, and a chapel dedicated to St.  John, with ancient icons including one from 1596.  The site is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 1999), jointly recognized with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, due to its profound spiritual and historical significance. 

Today, the cave functions as a place of worship and pilgrimage, open to visitors year-round with guided or self-guided access. It remains a powerful symbol of Christian eschatology and a key destination for those exploring the biblical roots of the New Testament.