Christodoulos, whose memory is celebrated today in the Orthodox Church, founded the monastery of St. John the Divine on the Greek island of Patmos in 1088. At the time, the island was counted a wasteland. Upon his arrival, "he began by throwing down an ancient statue of Artemis." He labored with the workmen to build the first church on the island (first that I know of). Christodoulos remained there for five years, but had to abandon the nearly completed monastery because of Turkish invasions. He died before the monks eventually could return to Patmos, securing from them a promise to bring his body back to Patmos when they returned. When the time came for them to return, they were denied permission to take the body of the saint with them. They secretly took the body anyway, engaging in an act of "devout piracy."
Not surprisingly, there is a Cave of the Apocalypse on Patmos, where it is said St. John wrote Revelation, or, according to the tradition, dictated it to a disciple named Prochoros.
It is in some ways surprising that no monastery had been established on Patmos for 1,00 years after John's exile there. So many other sites--Mt. Sinai, and many sites around Jerusalem, the tombs of apostles, and so on--attracted pilgrims and monastics. The Book of Revelation was accepted as canonical relatively late, and it is also a Sacred Scripture that is, as far as I know, never used in the lectionary of the Eastern churches, perhaps in part because of the late recognition. This is not to say it is somehow less inspired or less sacred than the rest of the New Testament Sacred Scripture, but perhaps it's a bit like Patmos itself--not quickly nor easily occupied, a bit mysterious.
The overriding theme with which the Book ends--anticipation and desire for the coming of the Bridegroom, Christ--is a theme found clearly, strongly, in the Gospels themselves. Also the Gospel theme of final judgment at the Coming of the Son of Man is at the heart of the Apocalypse.
Christodoulos, whose name means servant of Christ, gave all his strength to prepare his soul to meet the the Lord, something incumbent upon all Christians whatever their state in life. Everything made by man--our earthly treasures--will dissolve while we stand for our Final Exam. The encouraging thing is we know the exam is coming, and we have countless examples of Christians who who properly prepared. We know what to do. Just as I read this morning the instruction from Paul to Timothy:
"Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Tim. 6:12-15). Paul, Timothy, John, Christodoulos, and so many others, point the way.
Recent Comments