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Home , John, John of Patmos, John the Evangelist

J o u r n a l o f A d v a n c e s i n S o c i a l S c i e n c e a n d H u m a n i t i e s

JASSH 5 (7), 927–938 (2019) ISSN (O) 2395-6542

Stairs To Heaven

Stanisław Barszczak

DOI: 10.15520/jassh57444

Father Stanisław Barszczak, In search guided by his outstretched hands towards of the divine formula... God, whom he is looking for somewhere in the upper right corner, and yet this God What is the real purpose of the human surprises him from behind, emerging journey to God. The famous Italian surrounded by from the upper left painter, representative of the Venetian corner. And this God, looking at school, painted a Saint the Evangelist John, heads the right lower corner. So on the island of , where the latter something completely unexpected had his apocalyptic visions, in a state of happened here - Saint John is forced to spiritual ecstasy, during which heaven with turn his head back. This arrangement of God and angels opened above him. the directing of one energy to the other at According to tradition, St. John the right angles is called a squaring in Apostle is identified with Saint John the astrology, which is considered the most Evangelist and Saint , the unharmonious interaction. Also, the whole author of the Apocalypse. And that's scenery has a dramatic character. The sky exactly what Titian did in his painting was shrouded in dark storm clouds - the "Saint on Patmos", sky was "angry" - and beyond them where the sits close to the prophet (in emerges, with an angry hand raised over the foreground, in an ecstatic position) - the prophet, God on the background of the symbol of John the Evangelist, taken eternal light. What is going on? Why does from the Apocalypse. It is from her (and God admonish his prophet? indirectly from ) that the tradition is derived that the evangelist Matthew The explanation is that the God of the Old symbolizes man, the evangelist Mark lion, Testament admonishes Saint John, the the evangelist Luke ox, and the evangelist author of the , which in turn turns John the eagle. So, during the time of the into John of Patmos, the author of the Emperor "the whole world is in Apocalypse. And there is no meaning in evil." Saint John is on Patmos in this era, this case that in reality they were probably and this picture presented by Titian is very two different people, the authors thereof, dramatic. It can be seen that the painter as is also evidenced by the philological paints the figure of Saint John along the analysis of both texts. In any case, in the diagonal, leading from the lower left to the lower left corner we see a book, which right upper corner, as if the prophet was according to all logic should be the Gospel

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according to Saint John. In that case, the and esoterically. In the relation between from the lower left to man and God, the movement is going in the right upper corner would have its basis two directions. On the one hand, man rises in the canon of religious imagery to God, trying to break away from the contained in the Gospel. If God emerging sphere of finitude. In the picture, it would from beyond the cloud was God revealing be rising towards the upper right corner - to St. John, then, according to the text of the corner, which is empty, which makes the Apocalypse, it should be , even if all this effort seem futile ... This attempt, his descriptions from this book did not as I pointed out above, would have its adhere to the iconographic tradition of the basis in the Gospel, apparently in the lower church (Sevenfords and Seven-eyed Lamb, left corner so it would be an act of sword coming out of the mouth, etc.) Christian piety. This ascent to the sky can Although they may be different from this symbolize an eagle ... On the other hand, tradition, precisely because the Old the movement towards finitude and Testament God told Saint John to modify humanity is God's own movement, the in the Old Testament the Christian vision most visible expression of which is in of Christ. In any case, the main intention Christianity the Incarnation, the birth of of the Apocalypse is to place the figure of God in human form as the Son of God and Christ firmly in the Old Testament at the same time the Son of Man. With this context, in order to acquire the new idea of interpretation, it is logical that Titian educated Jews who know their holy book placed just on the left of his picture placed and shape it mentally. Therefore, it would God the Father (and not the Son of God, be exactly the opposite of that in the case Jesus Christ), heading for the earth and for of Gnostics such as Marcion, who just the person in the person of Saint John. wanted to cut off Christianity from its Because it is God the Father who creates Judaic roots. The presentation of God in man. And such an interpretation would the surroundings of the Cupids on the one explain the red color of the prophet's hand - from today's stand - somewhat robes. It is the color of blood and fire, the infantilizes the subject, but on the other color of real life in the body as the basis hand, if there were seven of them (because for spiritual life and the condition for the only six can be counted in the picture), it possibility of God's own experience. These would correspond to the sky description of two aspirations - one man and the other the Apocalypse, in which one speaks of the God - he presented the artist not as facing seven spirits of God (seven burning each other, but as intersecting with each torches) before the of the Most other. Thus, he asserts his objection to the High. But it is known that the closer to the religious approach to this question, which baroque, the more and more these cupids, should be somehow corrected (one could derived largely from the ancient add, by replacing it with a deeply esoteric mythological tradition, became an element view). of the canon in painting, not only religious. Saint , the son of The whole scene painted by Titian can the fisherman, was born in , the also be interpreted differently, more land of . He was the brother of generally, deeper, more philosophically Saint the elder and engaged in

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fisheries until the age of twenty-five. He of his holy Mysteries. He was with Peter often threw the nets in the fish lake of and Jacob witness to His transfiguration on Tiberias, on whose modest waves he was Mount Tabor, he saw the death of his returning home by a large half-boat. chills on the Mount of Olives. Among the Raised god-fearing, he longed with all rested his head on the breast of pious Jews for the appearance of the Jesus, his Lord made him aware of Judas' Messiah. Suddenly, he heard the news that betrayal, and he, standing under the , holy man calling to repentance, whom the took part in the Passion and death of the people consider to be the promised Savior. Then the Lord Jesus made the Messiah, he appeared over Jordan. favorite the heir of love, which Wishing to see this bearer of merry news, was taken over by his divine heart to his he ran to this place and saw Saint. John the beloved Mother, because he appointed him Baptist, predecessor of the Savior; and he as the protector and protector. Could he stay with him for a long time. give the Savior a proof of greater love? He was the firstborn son among the children One day he was repairing his net together of the Blessed Mother, and we are these with his brother Jakub in his boat, then children. For if the Lord Jesus called us Jesus alone comes and called them both to His brothers, then he himself join him. John obeyed the Savior's call and recommended us to His Mother. In spite of became His disciple and Apostle. Christ deep distress, Saint John with Mary and loved him most because of the angelic Magdalena at the foot of the cross. John purity and affectionate attachment that he saw his dying, he saw his spear pierced, he showed to his Master. In his Gospel, saw blood and water spurting from the therefore, he rightly calls himself Jesus' wound. He removed the holy body from favorite disciple and repeats this name not the cross and placed it in the bosom of the with pride, but with gratitude and love for Sorrowful Mother. He was conscious his divine Lord. "His rare purity - Saint when he was put to the grave, and his heart Augustine writes - made him worthy of was buried in the grave of the Savior, to this love; he chose to be married and whom he clung with all the strength of remained in it for the rest of his life." All love. Do not be surprised, then, that when other advantages, says Saint , the holy women announced to him that which God gave him, were the reward of they had seen the Lord Jesus, he his purity; Jesus appreciated his virtue so immediately ran with Peter to his grave highly that when he was hanging on the and first stood over the grave. A few days cross he instructed his mother. He later he stood with other Disciples at Lake entrusted his mother to the care of a Tiberias. Jesus appeared on the shore, and virgin student. Who would doubt here yet John Him knew immediately and said that in the eyes of the Lord Jesus had high about . Then they ate together value? He spoke of the purity of the the fish that Peter had made. After a memorable words that he feeds among the modest feast, the Lord asked Peter about lilies. Whoever has kept his heart clean the sincerity of his attachment, handed will have a friend in the King of Heaven. over to the Church's management and The Savior's love worked wonderfully on foretold him a martyr's death. John stood Saint John. For she made him a confidant by and listened. Peter, who loved St. John,

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and wanted to know the future fate of his to and was mortal with her bed. friend, he asked the Savior, "Lord, what His sadness was not overcome when the will happen to him?" To punish him for moment of separation from his beloved curiosity, the Lord Jesus replied: "If My Mother came. He only consoled himself will is to remain until I come, what do you with the hope that he would see her in the care?" He wanted to say, " What do you heavenly glory of the Son. She assured care about prolonging his life until I come him that he would not forget about him in back to call him?" Saint John the Apostle Heaven; And John returned to to was with Jesus on Mount Tabor. When, keep his eye on the flock, and to spread after the Ascension of the Lord, Saint Peter and strengthen the Kingdom of God and Saint John went to the temple, they everywhere. First of all, he tried to get healed in the name of Jesus of the lame at brave and priests, which he visited the Temple's door. This latter is from time to time, to make them proclaiming the Lord Jesus to the people. accustomed to vigilance and encourage The apostles then were imprisoned for this them to zealously perform the duties of and put before a high council, which, their holy office. Christ foretold that there however, ordered them to be released from would be scandals in his holy Church, and prison, having ordered them severely that what happened. Already during the the name of Jesus would no longer be Apostolic period, there were among the preached. They rejected this demand with Jewish Christians a pastor, such as Ebion indignation, saying that it is necessary to and Ceryntus, denying that the Lord Jesus listen to God more than to people and how is the Christ and the Son of God. In the they once told the Holy Gospel. When they parishes for which Saint John cares were again imprisoned, their freed carefully, there are advocates of these them, and as soon as the dawn began, the renegades. John warned his sheep against holy Men were again taught in the temple. them and instructed them to avoid great Condemned to whipping, they were glad contact with these kacres. When one day that they were suffering for Christ and did he wanted to go to a bath, he was told that not cease to worship His name. Soon Ceryntus had come to the bathhouse. The afterwards, he sent Peter with the apostolic Holy Apostle withdrew immediately and collegium to , where a small parish said to his companions: "Let us go, of baptized Christians was formed, but not brothers, that the bath to which the enemy yet confirmed. Both Apostles gave them of the truth went, did not come to our the Sacrament of Confirmation and detriment." Everybody loved a saint, and returned to Jerusalem. After a few years the truth that was the most important for spent in this city, John visited several him was the foundation of all love. To pass countries to bring them joyful news of the the testimony of the truth and to defend the arrival of Christ. Our Lady was with him, hats, he wrote the holy Gospel at the she worshiped her and greatly respected request of the faithful. Before he seized the her, he took her even to Ephesus, where he pen, he commanded universal fasting and founded his sacerdotal capital to manage prayers and began his work with the the Christian parishes that were scattered words: "In the beginning was the Word (ie, over Asia Minor. When Mary foreknew the Son of God), and the Word was with that he would soon die, he moved with her God and God was the Word." Writing the

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Holy Gospel was an old man aged 85. The assembled." The took him up, content of his writing is so exalted (says taught him the principles of faith, and one of the Fathers of the Church) that the baptized. After a while, however, he forgot human spirit will not be able to grasp it. about him, and the new Christian got into Therefore, in the paintings and statues we the company of reckless youth, began to see the eagle at his side. In addition to the defend the wrong, he forgot what he had Gospel, he wrote three letters in which he learned. His companions rushed at last for encourages the love of God and neighbor. theft and robbery, and the young man His heart was filled with love, and his life became their leader. After some time, John was a continuous band of acts of love. For returned and, seeing the Bishop, said to love, for Christ and the salvation of souls, him: "Give me what I entrusted to you in he was ready to bear everything. When the front of Christ and the community!" The persecution of Christians broke out for the bishop sighed and cried, he said: "Poor second time, he omitted nothing to boy has already died." "How did this - encourage parishes and communities to John asked - what death?" "He died persevere in faith. The governor of Asia, against God," said the Bishop. "He was a residing at the palace in Ephesus, he thief and a brigadier in the nearby ordered him to be taken and put to Rome, mountains." John the Apostle, wept where he was thrown in a kettle filled with bitterly and exclaimed: "How much a boiling oil. Apparently, the Emperor guardian have I commanded the soul of his Domitian himself was at this scene, I brother?" And immediately mounted the believe. God saved him so wonderfully steed, he galloped down into the that he went out unscathed. The boiling oil mountains, where the poor boy was turned into a refreshing bath for him, from immediately captured. John stand up which he emerged more solid than before. before the leader; but the latter, seeing the The heathens attributed his saving to the holy man, fled. Although John was an old sorcery, and Domitian the emperor man, he ran after him, crying, "Son, why banished him to the island of Patmos, do you shun your father? Have mercy and where John finally wrote his revelation. do not be afraid of anything! Do not lose After the emperor's death, he returned to hope, because I will answer for Christ Ephesus and took over the management of before you. If it is necessary, I will die for Christian communities, which he visited in you as Christ died for us and give my soul turn, not afraid of hardships and for you. Stand, please, because God sends pestilations, so long as he could save one me behind you." The young man paused, soul. says that threw his weapon, cried, embraced the old Saint. The apostle visited the churches of man in his arms, begged for forgiveness, Asia Minor to remove various abuses and but he dared not give his hand to the blood put new priests on them. When he spoke to stained. Saint John kissed his hand, people in the town not far from Ephesus, promised him to beg God for the he noticed among the listeners an forgiveness of the wine, brought him to the unknowing youngster. When he presented commune and did not part with him until it to the Bishop, he said: "I commend your he was reconciled to God. At the end, the attention to this young man in the presence moment came when the Lord Jesus would of Jesus Christ and the community here take His beloved of His disciples to Him.

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So, on his era John was a saint in Ephesus, stretch him? The hunter replied that the counting more than a hundred years of age. string would weaken. "Do not be After taking some of the clergymen with surprised," says John, "that my spirit rests him, he went with them to one of the to gain strength for work." For the surrounding mountains, and when he stood remembrance of John's miracles, the at its peak, he ordered a grave to be made Church gives the faithful a blessed wine, there. When they had finished him, he and the priest says: "Drink John's love in threw his cloak over him, then said good- the Name of the Father, Son and Holy bye to its cloak, saying, "Be with me, Lord Spirit." This is to commemorate the zeal of Jesus Christ." To the disciples, he said, the Holy Apostle, who drank a calice filled "Peace be brothers," and ordered them to with a poisoned wine to convert a certain leave. What, when they did. While idolater. By banishing the goblet departing they looked back, and they saw previously, a poisonous snake leaped from the grave with its light of heaven the infidels, and John's wine did not hurt surrounded. And when they returned the them. Let's finish these stories with prayer. next day, they did not find the body of Kindly shine, Lord Jesus Christ, Your Saint John, only his shoes. It happened on Holy Church, that in the teachings of the December 27, 104 from the Nativity of Holy Apostle and Evangelist, he may Jesus. When John the saint was very old, come to eternal goods. Through our Lord his disciples to the church in his arms to Jesus Christ, who reigns in Heaven and on carry him enslaved, he could no longer earth for all ages. Amen. speak in the House of God, only these words he repeated: "My little sons, you Saint John the Apostle, is considered the love together." Finally, the disciples heard youngest of the apostles and beloved the word so often heard, therefore they disciple of Christ. The , asked him, "Master, why do you always in both Eastern and Western churches, say only like this?" And he answered his attributes it to the , the sentence: "This is the commandment of the Revelation of Saint John (Apocalypse) and Lord, whoever is full, he can have three letters. Some contemporary studies enough." Because these words are fulfilled indicate that these fragments of the - they are enough for all Christians. may be the work of two or three different Counting the nineties, he dropped in authors, known as John the Evangelist, strength and leaned in with an old age, John of Patmos (John Apocaliptic) and never ate meat and wore only linen John Presbyter. As I said, Saint. John clothing, regretting that he could not work belonged to the three chosen disciples of as it was before. It happened that one day a Jesus. He was Saint. John went first with hunter passed around his house when John Jesus, but he left the most powerful Saint was standing just stroking the testimony from among the twelve: in the partridge he held in his hand. The gunman Gospel, in the three letters and in the book was surprised that the aged old man was in of the Apocalypse. St. John the Apostle this way chasing away having perceived was first disciple of Saint John, asked the passer-by what he had in as I mentioned. With the advice of the his hand, and when he heard that he was master, he became a disciple of Jesus: The bow, he asked him again, why did he not next day John (the Baptist) again stood

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with his two disciples, and when he saw written by Saint John probably after the Jesus passing, he said: Behold the Lamb of year 70, you probably know. He held the God. The two disciples heard him speak of the Synoptics, therefore, as an and followed Jesus. Jesus, turning around eyewitness to the teachings of Jesus and and seeing that they were following him, events related to him, he does not repeat said to them, 'What are you looking for?' what has been written yet, and he They answered him: Rabbi! - that is, completes the events with closer details Teacher - where do you live? He answered and abandoned events and Jesus' words them: - Come and see. So they went and which are the strongest Biblical proof of saw where he lived, and from that day on His divinity. John, as the only of the they stayed with. He answered them. twelve apostles, not counting Judas, did Come and see. So they went and saw not die a martyr's death. According to where he lived, and they remained with some voices of tradition, he died a natural him from that day. It was about ten death at Ephesus at the beginning of the o'clock. " So it seems that St.John met reign of Emperor Trajan. Probably his earlier "an hour" of his departure from this grave is located on the Ayasoluk hill in the world. St. John witnessed the resurrection town of Selçuk near Ephesus. In this place, of Jairro's daughter, the mystery of the in the 6th century, the magnificent St. Jana Transfiguration on Mount Tabor and the (currently in ruins). When Jan was already struggles of Jesus in the Garden of old, he prepared , who later Gethsemane. When Saint Jan expressed his became the bishop of and who disapproval that a stranger had the courage could convey John's message to the next to expel demons from people in the name century. of Jesus, he received an answer from the Lord Jesus: "Do not forbid him, for no one This is what I told you from myself, the who does miracles in my name will be able beloved disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. I to talk badly about me at once. For used the third person singular. And now I whoever is not against us, he is with us." would like to tell you my own story, for John received the nickname "son of this purpose I will use the first person. thunder" from Jesus. It is possible that Only a few saw the signs and understood Saint Paul refers to this episode. Marc, the revelation: Mother, , shepherds when in the list of apostles to the names of and the three Magi. And they believed John and Jacob added the nickname you. And the time was coming that the Son "Boanerges" - means the sons of thunder. of God would appear: Happy is he who To the apostles John and Peter, Jesus believes in it! The smallest bird will not appointed the mission of preparing the last rest on the greatest tree so that it will not Passover. And when the apostles of move the most delicate strings of his life, Jerusalem looked upon Jerusalem and these invisible threads constituting the core admired its buildings, the Lord Jesus of life. Yes, and the human mind is foretold the destruction of the city. "Then, differently sensitive to the lightest word. I in private, they asked him: Peter, Jacob, was born in Alexandria, from the family of Jan and Andrzej: 'Tell us when will it princes and priests, I received the happen? And what will be the sign when education appropriate to my family. Very all this starts to happen?'. The Gospel was early I was discontented with the science

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of religion regarding the soul after death. I imagine who God's side would wear for believed that the human soul for higher the insanity. I'm with you. At this point, I purposes is destined and drowning in would like to tell you also about Zenobia, thought, I saw clearly that death is only the my first sympathy. Together with it, we point of separation, after which the evil go did not step away from the beloved to condemnation, faithful and disciple of the Lord. We followed him up righteousness rise to a higher life, full of to the quarry with galleries. And I can say eternal joy: living with God and in God. I that it was thanks to her that my life was woke up in the morning, and the Spirit abundant in thrilling actions, lyrical and accompanied me amid the radiance of light dramatic scenes, in which the threads of brighter than the sun. I took my hermit's social life intertwine with love. But supplies, dressed up as before, and took already ad rem. Ten years ago, for the out the hidden treasure that I had brought insult and the attack of a Roman soldier, with me once. I performed well in good (came to the recoil), I was sentenced to competition. I took part in sports events on galleys. When I was in jail, he came to me, the beautiful hippodrome on Patmos. My this very sublime Beloved disciple of the name is John . Imagine my Lord, and gave me bread by bread. And he competitor in the equestrian competition told me: - Your tears are Your heart. on Patmos was a brahmin man from Asia, You're free ... So I'm a Christian anymore. who introduced himself once more: -You And before us is the sequence of the naval will know me, brothers, under the name of battle with the participation of galleys. We ... I speak to you in languages, if will not participate in the spectacular battle not the oldest, the oldest used in writing - I scene, but only because it wants to show think I was born in Hindustana, a Brahmin, you a sea clash from the perspective of a and this religion left a strange vacuum in great citizen in a shackled gray empire. my soul, so I searched for peace and Imagine the claustrophobic interiors below solitude in solitude, along the Ganges to the ship, the trapping, the inability to the source of the Himalayan mountains, escape ... The default, the precious virtue where the original nature still lures the of the woman, then gains value when sage with loneliness. and the exile, with a mercy and mercy are its source. In my promise of security, I decided to stay only case, these virtues were lacking first. Yes, with God and pray for fasting, but the hand there was compassion for all this time. of God directed me into entire world of This property is the main spiritual today, to the west, you see. That is why I difference between a man and a woman. It now have the honor to fight for the is difficult to determine the strength of winner's laureate... compassion, which makes us participate in trials and experiences, which is a My beloved, in fact, personally a rich shamrock of others. She associates us with Jewish prince, a merchant from Jerusalem. them, that their sufferings and joy become As you can see, I made friends with ours. Who in childhood did not hear about Brahmin Sebastian, whom I know for a the mysterious islands, about the treasure long time, the arch of history caused that island, where the pirates, or survivors, hid we are only now meeting in the arena. Let gold and precious stones, hoping to him win a better one ... Then you can recover them as soon as circumstances

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permit? Who among us did not dream of of John 's Revelation will speak to him in a discovering such abandoned treasure by similar way the way to me and those who himself and in this way become almost have listened and read them during the life immediately rich and famous? Well, the of the inspired author. trip to Patmos had something of an expedition in search of a lost treasure. It is In front of us stretches a charming Greek not true, about the precious crumbs and town with houses, and above it, valuables made of them, but about finding around the high hill settled others, quite the meaning of the Book, in which the similar to the one below. Above him will final secrets concerning God, man and the be the future of the impressive walls of the world are included, and which have monastery, which looks almost like a become my destiny in meeting with the fairytale castle on top of a glass top. There beloved disciple of our Lord. John was his is no time for longer looking around, name, this old man possessed my entire however. My life is chasing us as the hero being and handed it over to the servants of of this story. We start the four-kilometer Jesus. I will tell you, the joint exercise of route around local serpentines. Already the Eucharist and John, and also the taking after a few minutes, more or less in the of daily responsibilities of the head, full of middle of the route, we see a scary-looking spiritual indications of the Master of Greek inscription "Apokalypsis". Here you Nazareth, resulted in John's visions and have to stop to reach the cave of writings in the form of the Apocalypse. I Revelation. Jan prayed there and meditated wanted to be with him everywhere, on in absolute silence and loneliness, halfway Patmos and in Ephesus. And I always up the hill between the harbor and the sought his support. Meetings with Him Temple of Artemis. At the end of the route always guaranteed a feeling of love and there is a lookout point for the harbor, the reciprocity. But you already know that as bay and the entire northern part of the soon as we begin to read the writings of island. This is one of these views of "See John, the Apocalypse, we understand very and die". It is so beautiful that one could little of it at first, and if we have even basically give up anything else, sit on the begun to understand something, after some terrace of a nearby Roman villa, sip some time it turns out that it was a completely wine for a few hours and just look, look wrong understanding. Many brilliant and see ... And if it's numb legs, you can Christians, even among the greatest, still go without any blueprint town and spread their hands helplessly, saying: In there, in one of the numerous caves, rest. this life we will probably not find out, And I will tell you, John is always with us, because the meaning of many symbols has who after a while, in front of us inspired us melted in the darkness of human oblivion. in a vision inspired about the thick walls of In heaven, the first person I will want to the future monastry. First enter the small talk with will certainly be St. Jan - and courtyard, and our Saint simultaneously then I will fall asleep with questions ... says, over which semicircular arches rise. And yet, every pilgrim going to Patmos Red cats are basking on the stony feeds not entirely rational hope that there, pavement, and a bearded old man sits in at least a small portion of this lost treasure the pensive beneath the gallery, who looks can be recovered, and the mysterious text good from his eyes. Through the cloister,

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one enters a small church and side chapels. delegation to the Sultan, who after long They are all covered with fabulous negotiations received a firman (or decree) paintings from different eras. Are beautiful confirming the previous privileges of the sculptures, stone doors, candelabra and monastery and its possessions (called expensive liturgical equipment. Suddenly, metochami) on numerous Greek islands, . I realize, I found myself here at the foot of The most dangerous for the fate of the Sinai. sanctuary was the Turkish-Venetian war of the mid-seventeenth century, as a result of My beloved readers of the good news. The which the island suffered enormous turbulent fate of the island, its Roman destruction, and the monastery lost a lot of character with the hippodrome, were metoch, especially on the lost by the constantly associated with the cult of the Venice of Crete. And yet at the beginning Beloved disciple of Christ. This cult of the eighteenth century, thanks to existed on Patmos from the early Christian higumen, Saint. Makarios Kalogeras, was times embracing both the grotto of built on Patmos - right next to the cave of Revelation and, what is interesting, the Revelation - an authentic university, which area of the former Temple of Artemis. He quickly became the mainstay of Greek and was interrupted only by the first Arab Christian culture on the vast area of the invasions in the middle of the seventh former Byzantine Empire conquered by century, and then troublesome attack of the Turks. His reminiscence is a pirates, who did not save anyone who only magnificent huge library with thousands of tried to settle on the island. It was not until valuable volumes that are still awaiting the end of the 11th century that the saintly cataloging. After the Turks, the Italians Christodulos (Greek Servant of came to Patmos again in 1912 and left Christ), seeking refuge from the Turks, only after the fall of Mussolini in 1943, managed to persuade the Byzantine when the island was first taken over by the authorities to build a new sanctuary on Germans first and then by the English. The Patmos surrounded by the most powerful victorious powers gave the Patmos of walls that could be brought in a similar only in 1948. Stop being afraid! place. However, the Byzantine rule ended (compare Ap 1, 17) Pilgrim, who arrives at definitively at the beginning of the 14th Patmos expecting something majestic and century, when most of the islands in the dangerous there is no easy way to go over Aegean Sea came under the rule of the the specific spiritual cognitive dissonance Knights of St. John, whose headquarters he can experience here. Indeed, the island were in Rhodes. It was the turn of the appeals to the imagination, because it is Venetians to join the Venetians, but this beautiful: not so majestic as it is sublime, did not affect the location of the and even winged and thrilling. Beautiful is monastery, because the ordered all not only the nature, but also the faces of Catholic rulers to support the Patmos the inhabitants of the monastery and the sanctuary and protect the Orthodox treasures of Christ's wisdom and skill, praying in it. However, two years before which they guard. Patmos, marked by so the fall of Constantinople, patmijski many human crimes and suffering, speaks higumen (or prior), anticipating the to us as much as the Holy Land: its inevitable arrival of the Turks, sent a landscapes, people and their works. It is

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not without reason that the Greeks call it old inhabitants of this tiny Greek island "the Holy Island" ... Christ, not by lying off the coast of Asia Minor. This accident, called his Beloved disciple to famous man was condemned to live on Patmos, to reveal to him fully the secrets Patmos "for speaking about God and of God, man and the world. Here, where witnessing to Jesus." On the island he Orestes sought to free himself from heard the voice of God resembling the madness caused by a series of subsequent sound of a trumpet, which he declared: "I murders and revenge, Jesus shows John - am Alpha and Omega (...) What do you in sometimes difficult to bear pictures - in see, write in a scroll" (: 8-11). how much madness has plunged all This scroll (or book) is the ending of the mankind since she rejected God. Free from bestseller of all time. Some consider it to the remorse-like remorse given by the be the least understandable work ever scorpion, when he strikes a man (see Rev. written. It's about the last biblical book, 9.5), however, he can only He, and not a called the or the vengeful goddess that embodies the Apocalypse. Her writer was one of the darkness of the human unconscious. apostles of Jesus - John. His visions of the Because only He inflicted the death of final destruction of the wicked world have hostility (see Ephesians 2:16) by breaking been interesting for readers for centuries. the vicious circle of murder, revenge and revenge upon himself when he let himself Patmos island today - this is the perfect be hanged on the Cross. When we let place to write such a book. Volcanic hills ourselves be carried away by the charm of and deep, dark rifts are adjacent to terraced the Holy Island, convince the monk's hills overgrown with greenery and with benevolent gaze and move the words of blooming meadows warmed by the sun the Gospel to the yellowed parchment, that rooves over the Aegean Sea. And I then suddenly the truth is suddenly went there to meet the footsteps of the flashing in our hearts that God does not Beloved disciple of Christ. I remember it reveal himself to us in horror before his was early morning. Old women, dressed in otherwise just anger, but in order to free us black from head to toe, tried to keep up from the power of darkness and transfer us with their bitten granddaughters. A to the kingdom of our beloved Son, in bearded fisherman was sitting nearby and whom we have redemption - the remission preparing a meal - to soften the octopus he of sins (see Colossians 1: 13-14). From had just picked, he hit her on the concrete time to time, the inhabitants of Patmos quay. I gave up my boat trip and decided from Greece look out over the Aegean Sea to climb the mountain behind Skala to towards the light shimmering over the admire the panorama of the island from slopes of the mountain on the nearby there. The view was unique - it looked like island of Samos. Some people explain this a huge plastic map floating on the water. strange light with static electricity, but Patmos is like three islets in one, religious people say they know better. connected by narrow passages. On one of They hurry to their neighbors to tell them them is Skala. On the second, near the that they have received another sign from uninhabited southern tip of the island, you someone who was sent to Patmos 1900 can see the beaches. Patmos is less than 13 years ago and was the most famous of the kilometers long, and in one place its width

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is the same as a stone's throw. The turbulent history of Patmos Island is My beloved reader! Lord God needs your considered to be holy for almost 4000 talent. Have thousands of dreams and years, when the first settlers from Asia more. So do not let your dream come to be Minor came to it. They chose the second- small. Dream big! Keep going forward highest hill on the island and built there every day. Do not be afraid to leave the the temple of Artemis, the goddess of boxes and run outside. Do not make life as hunting. When around 96 AD the Apostle much as difference. Make difference. Get John was sent to Patmos, the island your goal every day. You must arm belonged to the Roman Empire. As I said yourself with discipline and consistency, a in the fourth century, it became a part of certain amount of action. Always have a the "Christianized" Byzantine Empire. plan to work with. Movement with Between the VII and X century, it was progress, move forward. Today, do influenced by Islam. With time, Patmos something that you have never done was deserted. At the end of the 11th before. You do something you never did. century, on the site of the pagan temple of Open new opinion. The true desire in your Artemis, the monk of the Greek Orthodox hands. Live on God each day. Challenge Church began the construction of the the everyday struggles with God. Put all in fortified monastery of St. John. Gradually, God, because everything you do is his the settlers returned and erected white, staff, grace of God. Be blessed. I wish cubic houses in Chorze, a city that is still everybody was rich and famous. So they concentrated around the respectable knew this. Thank you very much. defensive walls of this one monastery ...

Journal of Advances in Social Science and Humanities, Vol 5 Iss 7, 927–938