CHRISTIANNEWS.COM.- Underneath an old church in Turkey, in the city of Demre, archaeologists have found the tomb containing the remains of Saint Nicholas, the bishop who, according to historians, inspired the legend of Santa Claus
Nicholas was a third-century bishop, revered by the Orthodox and Catholic Church, and known for winning over society with his charity, prayerful spirit, and kindness.
The object of many legends, he was a real man and much loved by the Christians of his time. From a noble family, he was born in Greece and lived in Turkey where he was a priest in the diocese of Mira, province of Antalya.
“This is an extremely important discovery and the first of this period,” he said. Osman Eravsar, Chairman of the Antalya Regional Council for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage.
About the archaeological siteeither
According to Fox News, after rising sea levels in the Mediterranean submerged the church, another building was erected there centuries later.
“When the floor slab laid in the 1970s was removed from where it was, an excavation was carried out to find out what lay beneath it and the result was an early fourth century church floor covering,” said the archaeologist.
“Now we come to the remains of the first church and to the ground on which Saint Nicholas walked. The floor tiles of the first church were dug up,” Eravsar said.
For decades, researchers have examined the foundations of the Church of Saint Nicholas in Demre. They have also recently discovered a fresco of Jesus on site.
Fresco is an important wall painting technique and goes back to the beginnings of art history. It was widely used by the Greeks and Romans in Classical Antiquity and by the Italian masters of the Renaissance, reaching our days.
‘Persecuted by the Roman Empire’
In 2017, when archaeologists found the tomb but were unable to confirm it, The Daily Sabah newspaper noted that the find was considered surprising as “the remains of Saint Nicholas were believed to have been smuggled into the city of Bari by Italian merchants in the year 1087.
The Santa Claus Museum, an old church with a sarcophagus attributed to the Christmas saint, was inaugurated there,” the news site added.
Saint Nicholas, who lived under the Roman Empire, was persecuted for his faith under the Emperor Diocletian, but lived to see Constantine rise to power and legalize Christianity.
“After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325 and died on December 6, AD 343. C. in Myra. He was buried in the same church,” according to the Christian Post.
After being canonized by the Catholic Church, the date of his death, the feast of the patron saint of Russia, Greece and Norway, began to be celebrated.
As the story goes, Saint Nicholas was introduced to American popular culture in the late 18th century, when groups of Dutch families gathered to honor the anniversary of his death.
From reality to fantasy
have been attributed many changes to the life of Saint Nicholas. They moved their residence from Turkey to the North Pole, where the use of sleds is common for transportation.
In addition, “Santa Claus’s sleigh” gained magical characteristics, flying through the skies and turning it into an omnipresent man, capable of delivering gifts to all the children of the world in a single night, except those who “did not behave during the day.” year”.
Nicholas’s image has been redrawn and his statues modified by many artists over the centuries. From a miter (a kind of kippah) he went on to wear a cap, and his religious leader’s robe was changed to a red and white uniform.
Even his facial features were greatly altered, especially after he fell into the hands of American cartoonists, and soon after became the poster boy for Coca Cola, around 1930.
The campaign to sell more soft drinks at Christmas in the United States was so successful that it spread throughout the world, but few know that it was through the total distortion of the story of a Turkish religious leader.
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