The Greek island praised by Conde Nast for its transcendental atmosphere

The ceremony of the Holy Pedilavium, one of Greece’s oldest religious customs associated with Holy Week, will be open to the public for the first time in Patmos, after three years of being held behind closed doors due to the pandemic.

The ceremony is a representation of the action of Jesus, before the beginning of the Last Supper, when he washed the feet of his disciples to teach humility and love to fellow human beings. The ceremony started on the island of Apocalypse about 400 years ago, and since then it has been revived every year, even during the Turkish occupation, on the morning of Maundy Thursday. As soon as the Divine Liturgy is finished in the Monastery of Agios Ioannis the Theologian, a procession of priests and monks begins towards the square of Emmanuel Xanthou in Patmos’ Chora.

Photo: Lorenzo Spoleti/ Unsplash

In the square, the Abbot of the Monastery, representing Christ, washes the feet of 12 priests who symbolize His disciples. “This centuries-old custom is part of the traditions that make Easter in Patmos unique. Realizing the strong demand of the world for Patmos and its customs, we are promoting the historicity and religiosity of the island which has emerged as a pole of attraction for thousands of travelers from all over the world, in the off-season, as well”, says the Deputy Mayor of Tourism of Patmos, Nikos Koutouzos.

Photo: Pepi Nikolopoulou/ Unsplash

In the past, Conde Nast Traveler ranked Patmos among the best Greek islands for 2023 and indeed as the top religious destination in Greece for its overwhelming and transcendental atmosphere.

The popular travel media typically mentions that “Patmos has an undefined texture and an eerie aura emanating from its crown, the medieval Monastery of Saint John the Theologian. The imposing castle-monastery overflows with Byzantine and sacred monuments and relics, while it was named after John the Theologian who wrote the Book of Revelation in the Holy Cave.”