- Feb 5, 2002
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Archaeologists in Turkey have uncovered the exact place where St. Nicholas, the saint behind Santa Claus, was buried in a fourth century church.
Archaeologists in southern Turkey have just uncovered the original burial place of Father Christmas himself, formally known as St. Nicholas, but whose modern nicknames of Santa Claus, Saint Nick and Kris Kringle are known by children the world over.
While researchers already knew that the saint's body was buried in the fourth century A.D. church in Turkey's Antalya province, the holy man's remains were stolen around 700 years after he died, so the specific spot where he was originally interred was a mystery.
Now, clues gathered during a new excavation of this church, including the eccesiastical building's similarity to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the placement of a fresco depicting Jesus, hint at exactly where St. Nick's body was likely laid to rest.
Continued below.
Exact burial spot of St. Nicholas, inspiration for Santa Claus, discovered in Turkish church
Archaeologists in southern Turkey have just uncovered the original burial place of Father Christmas himself, formally known as St. Nicholas, but whose modern nicknames of Santa Claus, Saint Nick and Kris Kringle are known by children the world over.
While researchers already knew that the saint's body was buried in the fourth century A.D. church in Turkey's Antalya province, the holy man's remains were stolen around 700 years after he died, so the specific spot where he was originally interred was a mystery.
Now, clues gathered during a new excavation of this church, including the eccesiastical building's similarity to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the placement of a fresco depicting Jesus, hint at exactly where St. Nick's body was likely laid to rest.
Continued below.
Exact burial spot of St. Nicholas, inspiration for Santa Claus, discovered in Turkish church
