In a major turn of events, a team of archaeologists recently discovered a sarcophagus (a stone coffin) believed to contain the remains of Saint Nicholas.
Saint Nicholas, the real-life figure, who is known for his acts of kindness and generosity, which later influenced the development of the Santa Claus figure.
His spirit of generosity is still celebrated worldwide, even though more than 1,600 years have passed so far.
As per Fox News, associate professor Ebru Fatma Findik, who is heading the excavation team through Hatay Mustafa Kemal University's Department of Art History, said, “We believe that we have encountered a sarcophagus to be in situ (original position) for the first time.”
The remains were discovered during an excavation at St.Nicholas Church in the Demre district of Antalya, Turkey.
The Sarcophagus was discovered in the two-story annex of St.Nicholas Church, which is thought to be the original burial location of Saint Nicholas.
Findik shared, “While drilling inside the structure, we encountered a surprise sarcophagus.We are working inside the 20-meter-long, two-story structure that borders the church courtyard from the south. This work, among the undecorated sarcophagus group, is made of local stone and has a slightly high barrel roof."
The sarcophagus has a handle on its lid and is approximately 2 meters long. Whereas, the underground portion is estimated to be 1.5 to 2 meters high.
"In addition, many terracotta oil lamp fragments and animal bones were unearthed before reaching the sarcophagus during the drilling," Findik said.
It is pertinent to note that about 200 years after Saint Nicholas’ death, his remains were relocated to the Church of St. Nicholas, that was constructed in his honour.
