The history of the monastery of St. John the Theologian begins in the 11th century. Before that, Patmos was known only as the place where St. John wrote his Gospel and the Apocalypse. The monastery was founded by Hosios Christodoulos Latrenos and was gradually completed by following generations. It became a monastic and intellectual center under the protection of the Byzantine emperors. This close relationship with Constantinople is reflected in the monastery's wall paintings which exemplify the sensitive taste and unsurpassed technique of experienced painters.