Ancient sarcophagus discovered at St. Nicholas Church in Türkiye’s Antalya

ISTANBUL

Excavations at St. Nicholas Church in the Turkish resort city of Antalya have uncovered a limestone sarcophagus, shedding light on the region’s history.

The church in the Demre district, which is believed to be near the burial site of St. Nicholas, the inspiration for Santa Claus, has been under study since 1989.

This year, the site became part of the “Heritage for the Future” project, led by Ebru Fatma Findik from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University and overseen by Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Around two meters long sarcophagus was found during excavations of a two-story annex of the church.

Experts believe it aligns with burial practices in the region, with the hope that an inscription might offer more information about its origin.

Findik noted the discovery supports historical accounts suggesting St. Nicholas was buried near Myra’s sacred site, though further research is required to confirm the connection.

• Antalya
• Santa Claus
• sarcophagus
• St. Nicholas Church