No, Christmas is not canceled. You can expect that red-wearing gift-giving Santa Claus from the North Pole to arrive at your house. You better start baking all those cookies. This story actually relates to the real-life person that the modern "Santa Claus" is based on: Saint Nicholas of Myra (or Saint Nicholas of Bari). Recent excavation efforts have unveiled a sarcophagus that may be the original burial site of the Christian bishop.
Videos by Wide Open Country
This discovery, while not confirmed, is part of the "Legacy of the Future Project." This effort is led by Ebru Fatma Findik, an associate professor at the Hatay Mustafa Kemal University. As said above, the sarcophagus that was discovered during an excavation phase started two years ago might be the original burial site of Saint Nicholas.
According to Archeology News, Saint Nicholas' body was moved from place to place throughout the centuries. First, to the Church of St Nicholas, built on top of the original burial site. Then, to the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy, with some of his remains later transported to Venice. The most recent excavations started in 1989, and the latest phase might have uncovered Saint Nicholas' first resting place.
"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 to," Findik said.
"Some sources suggest that St. Nicholas was buried near the sacred area of the city of Myra," Findik continued. "The fact that we have found a sarcophagus near the church, which is thought to house his tomb, may indicate that this is indeed the sacred area we have been searching for. This is a significant archaeological confirmation of historical sources regarding the burial place of St. Nicholas"
From Saint Nicholas To Santa Claus
The patron of merchants, archers, children, brewers, and unmarried people, among others, Saint Nicholas was beloved and revered through the centuries. While many claims about his miracles and his slap-giving attitude toward heresy are contested by many, a trait that connects him to the modern popularized Santa Claus was Saint Nicholas's habit of handing out gifts.
Throughout centuries, the legend of Saint Nicholas evolved into the folklore character Sinterklaas, or Sint-Nicolaas, based on the saint. This character became well-known throughout many European cultures and countries, and, of course, the United States. The modern depiction of Santa Claus, while not created by them, was heavily influenced by the illustrations of Haddon Sundblom for Coca-Cola. Other than handing out gifts, there are not many coincidences between the coke-drinking Claus and Saint Nicholas.
