Sarcophagus found in Myra’s Byzantine church may be the tomb of St. Nicholas
Archaeologists recently discovered a sarcophagus near the original burial site of Saint Nicholas at the Church of St. Nicholas in Myra (Demre), in Antalya province. This discovery has sparked speculation that it could be the original tomb of Saint Nicholas, a significant figure in both ancient and modern cultures.
Saint Nicholas was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor. He was known for his numerous miracles and his generous tradition of gift-giving. He is believed to have died on December 6, 343, a date still marked by gift exchanges in many countries. Saint Nicholas also inspired the traditions of Santa Claus and Sinterklaas.
The Church of Myra and the tomb of Saint Nicholas.
Centuries after his death, Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II (408–450) ordered the construction of the Church of St. Nicholas on the site where the saint had served as bishop. His body was exhumed and reinterred within the church. However, rising sea levels eventually submerged the original building, and a new structure was erected in the 11th century.
The building is in good condition today, but its location below ground level makes it prone to flooding, which has resulted in most of the wall frescoes being damaged or washed away. Nonetheless, those adorning the vaults remain well-preserved. The main chapel features masterful stonework, including the stone altar and the four surrounding pillars. From the main nave, several chapels open up, connected by vaulted passageways. One of these leads to a sarcophagus, which is believed to have held Saint Nicholas’ remains at some point in the past. The body of the saint, however, has long since been removed.
From Myra to Italy, the disputed relics of Saint Nicholas
Indeed, as the Seljuk Turks advanced in the region early in the reign of Alexios I Komnenos (1081–1118), sailors from Bari, Italy, seized the relics of Saint Nicholas despite objections from the monks guarding them and brought them to Bari on May 9, 1087. In 1089, the relics were enshrined in the cathedral in the presence of Pope Urban II and soon began to attract many pilgrims. However, during the First Crusade, around 1100, Venetian sailors supposedly retrieved other remains of the saint. They transported these to Venice and enshrined them in the San Nicolò al Lido monastery basilica.
As a result, both churches claim to possess the relics of Saint Nicholas, who is venerated by both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The centuries-old dispute was only resolved in the 20th century. To address the uncertainty surrounding the remains, the Church requested an inspection of the bones kept in the basilica in Bari in 1953. Later, in 1992, an examination was conducted on the bones in Venice.
The conclusions, notably diplomatic, indicated that the bones belonged to the same individual. While the most significant relics, including the skull, are kept in Bari, smaller bones and fragments—perhaps forgotten or overlooked by the Bari sailors—remain in Venice. Meanwhile, in Myra, an empty and broken-open sarcophagus in the church is still traditionally presented as the original tomb of Saint Nicholas.
The recent discovery of a sarcophagus in a church annex.
Over the past two years, archaeologists have been conducting a detailed study of the Church of St. Nicholas as part of the “Legacy for the Future Project”, an initiative spearheaded by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Recent excavations focused on the church’s two-story annex have led to the discovery of a limestone sarcophagus measuring approximately 2 meters in length.
The sarcophagus was partially buried at a depth of 1.5 to 2 meters and features a raised lid with a pitched roof, an architectural style characteristic of the region. Associate Professor Ebru Fatma Findik, from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, stated:
“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.”
While the sarcophagus lid has been uncovered, only a small portion of the burial chamber has been exposed. Further excavations are expected to reveal additional details in the coming months.
According to the archaeologists, the proximity of the sarcophagus to the Church of St. Nicholas, combined with historical accounts, lends weight to the theory that this could indeed be the saint’s original burial site. Professor Findik commented:
“This could be a significant archaeological confirmation of historical sources regarding the burial place of St. Nicholas.”
If further excavations and studies confirm this hypothesis, it would mark a significant step forward in validating long-standing historical traditions regarding the original resting place of Saint Nicholas and in completing the tumultuous story of the saint’s relics.
Image Credit: AA
Sources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism
