The discovery could provide fresh insight into the celebrated patron saint that inspired Santa Claus.
Archeologists have discovered what they believe to be the tomb of Saint Nicholas, the philanthropic Greek bishop and inspiration behind Christmas icon Santa Claus.
The six-foot-long limestone sarcophagus was found buried 6 feet deep within the two-story annex of St. Nicholas Church in Demre, Antalya, Turkey. Long considered the final resting place of the Saint, excavations have been underway here since 1989 – but this latest find is the most intriguing yet.
The project was led by Ebru Fatma Findik, an Associate Professor at Hatay Kemal University, as part of the ‘Legacy for the Future Project’.
“The fact we have found a sarcophagus near the church, which is thought to house his tomb, may indicate that this is indeed the sacred area we have been searching for,” Findik said. “This is a significant archaeological confirmation of historical sources regarding the burial place of St Nicholas.”
While its location lends credibility to the tomb belonging to Saint Nicholas, the research team are now hoping to find an inscription that might reveal more details about who was inside.
Speaking to Türkiye Today, Findik said: “Our biggest hope is to find an inscription on the sarcophagus. This would help clarify the burial contents and allow us to determine the exact period it dates from.”
So far, only the tomb’s lid has been completely uncovered, with a small section of the burial chamber visible. The team are planning further excavations in the coming months to find more clues.
Who was Saint Nicholas?
Born some time after 260 A.D. in Myra (now the Demre district of Antalya, Turkey), Saint Nicholas was an early Christian bishop and patron saint of children and sailors. He became idolised for his kindness and generosity, tales of him giving money to those less fortunate lending themselves to legends of miracle work.
Over time, reverence for the holy figure evolved into the creation of Santa Claus, the jolly bearded present-giver and symbol of western Christmas celebrations. The name Santa Claus came from the Dutch nickname for Saint Nicholas – Sinter Klaas.
Still, very little is actually known about the real Saint Nicholas, except that he was buried in the church named after him following his death around 343 A.D. His actual body’s whereabouts have always remained a mystery, however – thought to have been stolen in 1087 and smuggled to the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy.
While scientific studies have been carried out on these bones, the evidence that they actually belonged to Saint Nicholas remain inconclusive.
Additional sources • Türkiye Today
