Hectares of the territory of the memorial museum of St. Nicholas in the Demre region (Antalya) at the level of the foundation found an intact room. The results obtained by the method of GPR and tomography suggest that there may be the real relics of St. Nicholas, which, it is said, were once transported to Italy.
The latest finds on the territory of the Museum of St. Nicholas in Demre, which, along with Orthodox Christians, is visited by a large number of local and foreign tourists, caused a real stir. An intact structure was found in the course of GPR and tomographic studies carried out at the level of the museum foundation. According to Cemil Karabayram, head of the Antalya Geodesy and Monuments Office, important results have been obtained that indicate that the relics of Saint Nicholas (known as Father Christmas), allegedly stolen and taken to Italy, may be in this newly found room.
It was an unexpected find
Cemil Karabayram noted that important information was obtained as part of the restoration work on the territory of the museum, while from a scientific point of view, there was no expectation of such a turn of events. According to the available information, Saint Nicholas was buried there in the 4th century, but in 529 there was a strong earthquake that affected the area of the church.
Goes down to three meters
Karabayram said that in the 9th and 10th centuries, the area of the church was expanded with additional extensions. “A new site has been discovered under one part of the church,” he continued. - Scientifically, a new hollow zone was established, which, starting from one and a half meters, goes down to three meters deep. A special area was found under the part of the temple that we call the sanctuary. The data obtained indicate that this structure has survived to this day without damage. So, we can say that under the Church of St. Nicholas there is a whole tomb. We plan to complete the survey within three months and identify areas that can be entered."
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Looking for oil
Karabayram, who recalled Professor Yıldız Ötüken's research in the 1990s on the presence of oil here, noted: “At that time he found oil, and this oil was allegedly used to anoint the dead saints. We are also trying to access the data from this study. If the oil is preserved, it means that no one went there. A passage was also discovered. It is likely that this is a burial place."
We think that the emperor hid the grave
According to Karabayram, the world can witness new events at any moment, and the relics of St. Nicholas may still be here. “Now the foundations are being laid for the work that will give the world a new discovery,” he stressed. - We are preparing good news for Antalya. However, we need more solid data for new excavations. The found room is located under the section of the temple with mosaics and ornaments, we must also preserve this place and therefore must find another zone through which we can get inside the tomb. An intact, undamaged structure was discovered that could only have experienced the effects of an earthquake. From now on it is absolutely clear that under the Museum of St. Nicholas there is a tomb, there is a zone, the passage to which is blocked by stones. During the earthquake, the grave was preserved here. The emperor of the time, we assumecould hide the grave, allowing possible kidnapping."
The Italians could have taken the relics of another priest
Since a new unknown burial place was discovered here, the Italians, according to Karabayram, could very likely bring the relics of another priest to Bari.
Who is Saint Nicholas?
Saint Nicholas, who was born in the second half of the 3rd century AD in Patara and served as a bishop in Mir (Demre), after his death was canonized. He became one of the most revered saints in Russia and in many European countries. Saint Nicholas, who is especially revered in the German Freiburg, the Italian cities of Bari and Naples, on the island of Sicily, is known as Santa Claus in Dutch and English, and is therefore considered one of the patrons of New York. The tradition of veneration of the "Father Christmas" existing in the northern countries of Europe as the protector of children, who makes them happy and happy, when combined with the cult of St. Nicholas, gave rise to the creation of a legendary semi-religious and extremely popular character.