Archaeologists make huge breakthrough while looking for 'real' Father Christmas
What have you asked Santa for?(Image: Getty)Archaeologists may have discovered the original burial site of St. Nicholas in Turkey, predating a notorious historical grave robbery.Though he's immortalised in Christmas tales, Kris Kringle was a real person who lived during the fourth century. Father Christmas draws inspiration from St. Nicholas, who was born in Turkey and served as a bishop in what is now called Demre, according to the Jerusalem Post.The saint was initially interred at his church, St. Nicholas Church in the ancient city of Myra. However, a new church was subsequently constructed over his burial site on the orders of Roman Emperor Theodosis II, reports the Express.Despite his grave being definitively located in Turkey, his remains are not actually there. Unlike many other saints, St. Nick's bones have been kept together in a single location - a secondary "grave" in Bari, Italy - following an ancient heist.In 2022, Turkish archaeologists located the spot where he was originally laid to rest before his bones were relocated. Excavations enabled scientists to uncover the original ground level of St. Nicholas' Church, where he served as bishop.St. Nicholas old monastery in mountains of Matka canyon(Image: Everste via Getty Images)According to Prof. Dr. Osman Eravar, president of the Antalya Cultural Heritage Preservation Regional Board, there's a possibility that some remains or relics might still be present.Nevertheless, rising sea levels have submerged portions of the original church, hampering attempts to discover any trace of the original Santa Claus within the Turkish ruins. When the Byzantine Empire held sway over Anatolia in the 11th century, they lost territory to the invading Seljuk Turks.Simultaneously, the divide between the Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches deepened, resulting in the Greek Orthodox Byzantines losing control over St. Nicholas' tomb.Statue of St. Nicholas the Traveller at Baska Voda, Croatia(Image: Jorg Greuel via Getty Images)This sparked fears among Christians that they would be denied access to the tomb. In response, a group of Catholic Italian sailors from Bari took matters into their own hands in 1087.They stole St. Nicholas' remains and transported them back to Bari, an event documented in numerous historical texts and chronicles. However, this act was viewed as theft by the Turks and Greek Orthodox Christians.The remains of St Nicholas were housed in a church consecrated by Pope Urban II, known as the Basilica di San Nicola, where they are still located today.A woman prays over Santa Claus' grave in Turkey(Image: Getty)Since the fall of the Roman Empire, many tales have circulated about St Nicholas, including his feats of chopping down a demon-possessed tree, calming a storm, and rescuing girls from prostitution. He is also said to have resurrected three people and engaged in fights at the First Council of Nicaea.Today, St. Nicholas is one of the most canonised saints in history, with countless miracles attributed to him. He serves as the patron saint for a diverse range of groups, including sailors, brewers, archers, children, unmarried individuals, merchants, repentant thieves, and pawnbrokers.However, it was his renowned generosity that cemented his reputation as the gift-giving bearded man we celebrate every December. Other figures, like Odin, also influenced the character who determined which children were naughty or nice.In 2017, some of St. Nicholas' remains were relocated from Bari when they were loaned to Moscow. More of his remains are in Venice - as noted in a single chronicle from the time, which stated that Venetian ships carrying crusaders took all the minor bone fragments that the Bari sailors couldn't take, and transported them to Venice.
