Researchers excavating at the Church of Saint Nicholas in Demre, Türkiye believe they may have found his burial, finally settling the centuries-old mystery surrounding his resting place.
AAArchaeologists work to excavate the tomb found in Türkiye that may belong to Saint Nicholas.
Archaeologists in Türkiye believe they’ve uncovered the burial site of Saint Nicholas, the fourth-century Christian bishop who later became the inspiration for Santa Claus.
Beneath the Church of Saint Nicholas in Demre, where he once served as a bishop, researchers discovered a sarcophagus that matches burial styles from his time. Though only the lid has been unearthed so far, hopes are high that this could actually be the resting place of Saint Nicholas.
Much of Saint Nicholas’ life is shrouded in mystery, but historians believe that he was an early Christian leader of Greek descent who rose to prominence in the Roman era for his generous acts of charity. After his death in 343 C.E., his remains were reportedly scattered across various sites in Europe as they were moved repeatedly over the centuries.
Previous studies have concluded that various remains could perhaps belong to Saint Nicholas, but this new discovery could finally settle the matter once and for all.
Who Was Saint Nicholas Of Myra, The Inspiration For Santa Claus?
Wikimedia CommonsPortrait of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the inspiration for Santa Claus.
Saint Nicholas of Myra was born in 270 C.E. in Patara, Lycia, then within the Roman Empire and now part of Türkiye. Much about his early life is unknown, but he was said to be extremely charitable and was renowned for his selflessness.
Eventually, Saint Nicholas became Bishop of Myra. One of the most famous stories of his good nature originates from this period of his life.
According to one legend, Saint Nicholas saved three innocent men from death after interrupting their execution and admonishing a juror who was bribed to find them guilty.
Wikimedia CommonsA Russian rendering of Saint Nicholas, from Saint Nicholas Church on Lipno Island.
As a religious leader, Saint Nicholas was reported to have performed miracles, including warding off bad weather during a sea voyage and even resurrecting three children who were killed and pickled by a butcher who planned to pass them off as pork during a famine.
Saint Nicholas was believed to have died in Myra in 343 C.E. The final resting place of his remains has been disputed for centuries. Some believe that Saint Nicholas was buried in Myra, but others believe he is buried at a church in Gemile, Türkiye or the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy. Historians also believe that some of his remains were taken to Venice during the First Crusade.
Historical evidence that Saint Nicholas’ remains were spread across all of these locations at different periods is convincing. In the 1950s, bones believed to belong to Saint Nicholas in Bari were studied for the first time, revealing that their owner was roughly 70 years old at his time of death, 5’6″ tall, and suffered from arthritis and a broken nose.
A comparative analysis of the bones in Bari and Venice revealed that they originated from the same individual, though they have never been positively identified as belonging to Saint Nicholas.
Evidence collected from the bones matched historical records of Saint Nicholas’ age and life story, but with his bones reportedly spread across the Mediterranean, it is difficult to get a full picture of his life.
Now, archaeologists believe they may have discovered a key missing piece in the mystery of Saint Nicholas’ tomb underneath the Church of Saint Nicholas in Demre, Türkiye.
Archaeologists Uncover The Possible Tomb Of Saint Nicholas In Demre, Türkiye
Dosseman/CC BY-SA 4.0The courtyard of the Church of Saint Nicholas in Demre, Türkiye.
In 1989, excavations began at Saint Nicholas Church in Myra, Türkiye, now called Demre. The church was built on top of an older Christian church, where Saint Nicholas once served as bishop, in 520 C.E.
In 2017, researchers uncovered what they thought was Saint Nicholas’ grave at the church. That same year, experts tested a bone fragment that purportedly came from Saint Nicholas and concluded that it could have been his.
In 2022, archaeologists from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University supported by Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture began focusing their excavations at the church on uncovering artifacts from Saint Nicholas. The initiative, called “Legacy for the Future Project,” involved excavating the site’s two-story annex, believed to be the original burial site of Saint Nicholas.
Inside the annex, archaeologists uncovered a sarcophagus that they believe belongs to Saint Nicholas. Measuring roughly 6.5 feet in length and buried at a depth of roughly six feet, the sarcophagus’ features are consistent with burial styles from the saint’s time. They also discovered animal bones and clay offerings at the site, positively identifying it as a burial place.
“The fact that we have found a sarcophagus near the church, thought to house his tomb, may indicate that this is indeed the sacred area we have been searching for,” Associate Professor Ebru Fatma Findik from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University told Türkiye Today.
AAThe top of the tomb believed to belong to Saint Nicholas.
While archaeologists have only unearthed the lid of the sarcophagus, researchers hope to find artifacts that connect the tomb to the famous saint.
“Our biggest hope is to find an inscription on the sarcophagus,” Dr. Findik from Hatay explained. “This would help clarify the burial contents and allow us to determine the exact period it dates from.”
These findings couldn’t have come at a more fitting time, as the world eagerly awaits further discoveries that breathe new life into the story of Saint Nicholas this holiday season.
After reading about Saint Nicholas’ tomb, dive into the story of Saint Patrick, a Roman slave who became the patron saint of Ireland. Then, read about Olga of Kiev, the vengeful Viking princess who became a saint after leading a revenge plot against the tribe who killed her husband.
