Apocalypse. Interpretation of the XXI century. Valeriy Sterkh

complete. Illuminated with hundreds of street lights and bright-lit windows of the local houses and hotels, Leros was a fabulous night scene. Again we had to wait for a while, but there was enough time to enjoy the stunning illumination of Leros.

      I will also add that on the way back I hopped on a catamaran ferry, which made the stops much shorter. So, the return trip was significantly quicker.

      It was around midnight when I, with a trembling heart, stepped on the shores of Patmos. In the deep darkness, the port of Scala shone brightly with its many lights, and on one side of a low mountain, the walls of the Monastery of St. John the Divine were lit with spotlights. The hotel agents met the pilgrims at the port gate. One of them gave me a ride to the hotel, which happened to be not too far away. After a long sea voyage, I could finally take a shower and get a good night’s sleep.

      The next morning, I left my hotel and went for a walk to explore the area. Patmos is a small rocky island, shaped like the head of a seahorse. The highest elevation of the island is Mt. Saint Elijah, 269 meters above the sea level. Between the mountain peaks, there are picturesque green valleys. The austere rocky terrain is somewhat softened by the citrus orchards, vineyards, pines, cypresses, strawberry trees, eucalyptus trees, pomegranates, olive trees, and other green patches. The largest villages on Patmos are Chora, Scala, and Kambos. The local population, for the most part, lives in one or two-story houses, usually painted white. The main architectural attraction of the island is the medieval Monastery of St. John the Divine, located at the highest point of the village Chora.

      The distance from the port of Skala to the Monastery of the Cave of the Apocalypse is 2.2 kilometers following the road to Chora. There is also a stone-paved trail for pedestrians between these two locations. It is a bit shorter, but has a steeper climb and leads somewhat away from the Cave.

      The entrance into the Monastery of the Cave of Apocalypse begins at the gate with metal doors. On the low masonry walls, there are two plates on each side of the gate – one in Greek on the left and one in English on the right. There are only two phrases. The one above says: “Holy Cave of the Apocalypse”. The one below is a quotation from Revelation: “I was on the island of Patmos (Apoc. chap. A.9)”.

      Further, there is a short alley leading up to the monastery. The monastery is a whitewashed stone building set on a rock, as if over the Cave. Above the entrance to the monastery, there is a mosaic icon of John the Apostle, dictating the text of the Apocalypse to his disciple Prokhor. Prokhor was one of the seven deacons appointed by the apostles. He was exiled to Patmos just like John and later became the bishop of Nicomedia.

      I went inside. Ahead of me, on the right, there was a church shop. On the opposite end, to the left, I saw an exit to the stairs leading to a lower level. After several flights of stairs, I found myself at the entrance to the Holy Cave.

      The internal space of the Cave is divided into two parts. On the left, there is a Temple of St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin, erected in the 11th century by archbishop Christodul. On the right, there is the Temple of the Holy Cave of Apocalypse, separated only by the stony overhangs from the ceiling. In this Cave, John the Theologian received his Revelation.

      <…> At this point, I will pause the story about my pilgrimage, because even the most accurate description cannot adequately express the feelings of an Orthodox believer when he or she finds himself in the presence of a great mystery. One has to experience it to understand it.

      Part 1. Revelation from Heaven

      Chapter 1:1. The first vision of God’s glory

      John the Theologian was exiled to the island of Patmos by Emperor Domitian, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:9). There he was given a spiritual vision. This is his own story:

      I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter (Rev 1:10—19).

      Jesus Christ appeared to John in order to communicate through him a Revelation concerning the future of mankind. The apostle saw Christ in the radiance of his heavenly glory, clothed as the high priest.

      Concerning the mysterious priesthood of Jesus, it says:

      Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec (Heb 5:5—10; see Ps 110:4 [Ps 109:4 rus]).

      For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually (Heb 7:1—3; see Gen 14:18).

      After the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec (Heb 7:15—17).

      Jesus does not identify himself by name, but John recognizes him anyway and says about Him: like unto the Son of man (Rev 1:13). This name of Christ (Messiah, the Anointed One) goes back to Daniel’s prophecy in the Old Testament:

      I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed (Dan 7:13—14).

      Often this same name appears in the Gospels, where sometimes Jesus refers to himself as:

      But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he [Jesus] to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house (Mt 9:6; compare Mk 2:10; Lk 5:24).

      And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men (Mt 17:22; compare Mt 20:18; 26:2, 24, 45; Mk 9:31; 10:33; 14:21, 41; Lk 9:44; 22:22).

      And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead (Mt 17:9; compare