A sarcophagus uncovered in a 7th-century Turkish church may contain the remains of Saint Nicholas, the bishop credited as the inspiration for the character of Santa Claus. Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II ordered the construction of the Church of St. Nicholas near where Nicholas had served as bishop in the city of Myra, located in Asia Minor, which is now present-day Turkey. Nicholas’s body was said to be interred at the church but was later exhumed in the 11^th century and brought to Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Southern Italy to be treated as a sacred relic. His remains were then reportedly removed during the First Crusade and brought to Venice at the San Nicolò al Lido monastery basilica. Tests to confirm the body, however, have been inconclusive.

The sarcophagus found at the Church of St. Nicholas measures 6 feet long and about 5 feet deep. The site has often been believed to still contain Nicholas’s remains. “The discovery of a sarcophagus near the church, which is believed to be the resting place of St. Nicholas, could indicate that this site may indeed be the sacred area in question. We can say that we have reached archaeological evidence that confirms historical sources about St. Nicholas’ burial place being in the city’s sacred area,” said Professor Ebru Fatma Findik of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University’s Department of Art History. Further research needs to be done before the remains can be confirmed. “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,” said Findik. “While the lid of the sarcophagus has been uncovered, only a small section of the burial chamber has been exposed, and further excavation is expected to reveal more details in the coming months.”

Bishop Nicholas of Myra was known for his generous spirit and gift-giving. One of his most famous legends features him rescuing three impoverished sisters from selling themselves into prostitution by sneaking bags of gold into their home for three nights, providing them with a dowry to marry well. Not all stories of Nicholas are jolly, of course. Another famous legend claims Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea. During the council, Arius, a bishop from Egypt, argued that Jesus was not equal to God, a major theological point of the Christian Trinity. Nicholas was so outraged that he slapped Arius across the face. Nicholas was briefly stripped of his bishop robes and thrown in jail for the action, though Emperor Constantine later had him reinstated.