The Island of Patmos

In the Book of Revelation, St. John provides limited details about the circumstances of his exile, stating only that he was sent to Patmos for the sake of God's word and the testimony of Jesus (Rev. 1:9). A later Greek tradition suggests that after St. John’s arrival in Ephesus, reports of his miraculous acts reached the ears of Emperor Domitian, who summoned him to Rome. According to the tradition, St. John was tested in front of the emperor by being made to drink a cup of poison, which killed a criminal but left him unharmed. He was then asked to raise a young girl who had been killed by an evil spirit, and upon witnessing the miracles, Domitian decided to exile him to Patmos rather than execute him.

Patmos, a volcanic island located approximately 80 km south of Ephesus, was used as a penal colony, a place of isolation and punishment. Historical sources describe the island as barren, overgrown with thorns and shrubs, and inhospitable due to its aridity. St. John's exile there lasted until the death of Emperor Domitian. The exact duration of his exile varies in tradition, with some accounts stating one and a half years, others five years, and some even claiming fifteen years. Despite his exile, St. John continued to preach the Gospel and convert the inhabitants of the island.

While on Patmos, St. John was unchained and free to roam the island, and it was there that he wrote the Gospel of John and received the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation. Some of the vivid imagery in Revelation, such as the description of the sky torn like a scroll (Rev. 6:14) and the islands and mountains fleeing (Rev. 16:20), is thought to have been inspired by the island's dramatic landscapes.

The Book of Revelation provides few personal details about St. John's life, except that he was of Jewish heritage and likely had a priestly lineage. He is believed to have remained celibate throughout his life. In artistic depictions, St. John is often shown as an elderly man on Patmos, either seated and writing or standing in front of a cave, looking up to heaven as he writes or dictates to his disciple Prochorus. In some representations, the inscription on the scroll or Gospel that he holds reads, "In the beginning was the Word" (Jn. 1:1).

St. John’s exile came to an end with the death of Domitian. However, some accounts suggest that after leaving Patmos, St. John's ship was wrecked, and he swam to the shore on a piece of cork, eventually reaching Miletus and then returning to Ephesus.

Tradition holds that St. John lived to a very old age, with some claiming he reached the age of 120. He is said to have died around the year 100 and was buried on a hill. According to one account, after his tomb was dug, St. John lay down in it and passed away peacefully, with his body mysteriously vanishing the following day, believed by some to have ascended to heaven.

By the end of the second century, many churches in western Anatolia regarded St. John as their founding figure, marking his lasting influence on the Christian communities of the region.