A group of Turkish scientists claims to have found the tomb of St. Nicholas, the holy man who became their inspiration Santa Claus synonymous with Christmas celebrations.
The location of the tomb of St. Nicholas is said to be in the coastal city of Demre in the province of Antalya. Scientists discovered the tomb during excavations at an archaeological site in the city of Demre.
“This is a very important find. The first find from that period,” said Osman Eravsar, chairman of the Antalya regional council for cultural heritage conservation, as quoted by DHA media on Friday (23/12/2022).
According to history, the body of St. Nicholas was stolen about 700 years after his death. For this reason, the exact location of his grave was not found until Turkish researchers conducted a study.
St. Nicholas died on December 6, 343 AD The place where he was buried has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The basilica where he was buried was later submerged by rising sea levels in the Mediterranean during the Middle Ages. Later, another church was built on top of it.
The city where the tomb is located became known as Myra. Unfortunately, in 1087, the tomb was sacked by people from Bari, Italy. That man escaped with most of the body of St. Nicholas.
Recent excavations conducted by Turkish scientists have finally unearthed the remains of mosaic tiles and floors from the original basilica where St. Nicholas was buried.
“Now we have found the remains of the first church and the floor where Saint Nicholas used to tread,” Eravşar said. Researchers speculate that the location of his resting place is directly under the fresco of Jesus.
As you know, character Santa Claus which is synonymous with Christmas turns out to be taken from the story of St. Nicholas who gave most of his wealth to the poor, which is the basis for giving annual presents every Christmas from Santa Claus.
Besides this, St. Nicholas also performed other miracles, such as saving three girls from prostitution, cutting down a demon-possessed tree, and saving a ship from sinking by praying.
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