Saint Nicholas, the 4th-century Greek bishop who inspired the legend of Santa Claus, is traditionally believed to have been buried in Myra, which is in present-day Turkey. In early and mid-December 2024, a claim spread online that Turkish archaeologists finally discovered "Santa Claus tomb."
One X post with on the topic, with over 30.7 million views as of this writing, read: "Archaeologists in Türkiye believe they have discovered the tomb of Saint Nicholas, famously known as Santa Claus ??." It featured a video allegedly showing the discovery.
"?#BREAKING: Archaeologists in Turkey believe they have discovered the tomb of Saint Nicholas. Yes, that's right, they actually just found Santa Claus," another X user wrote, suggesting the discovery was recent.
The claim spread on numerous social media platforms, including Reddit, TikTok, and Facebook. It was also shared by news outlets such as Fox News, The Sun and New York Post.
In short, social media posts and news articles mentioned an authentic discovery, though it has not yet been definitively identified as the tomb of St. Nicholas. Additionally, it remains unclear when the initial find actually took place, as the earliest reports did not explicitly specify a discovery date. Subsequent coverage, however, suggests that a press event was held on Dec. 6, 2024, serving as the first public presentation of the findings that took place earlier.
What We Know About the Tomb
Several English and Turkish-language news outlets reported on the discovery on Dec. 6, 2024, Saint Nicholas Day. The limestone sarcophagus was reportedly found in the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre, Antalya Province, Turkey, during an excavation led by Ebru Fatma Fındık from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University.
Turkish news agency Demirören News Agency (DHA) also reported on the event on Dec. 6, 2024, explaining what Fındık stated in the video featured in numerous social media posts and news articles. (We verified their accuracy using transcription tools and Google Translate.)
While it is too early to confirm the sarcophagus' date or precise connection to St. Nicholas, Fındık noted its significance in corroborating historical accounts that place his burial site near the sacred area of Myra.
The team hopes to find inscriptions on the sarcophagus that could confirm its origins and shed light on the burial. Further excavation and analysis were underway, with researchers optimistic about uncovering more details by the end of 2024.
"The fact that a sarcophagus has been unearthed very close to the church thought to contain the tomb of St. Nicholas excites us greatly. As part of the project, we will be happy to complete the excavation and restoration of the area where the sarcophagus is and contribute to our country's tourism," Fındık said. She also underscored that, "It is too early to say anything about its history right now, adding that, "After we carry out the scientific study, we will share information about the history of the sarcophagus with the scientific world."
Pics From Dec. 6, 2024? Not Necessarily
Google reverse image search results indicated the images of the in-question sarcophagus started spreading on Dec. 6, 2024, Saint Nicholas Day.
The images featured in posts (shown below) were captured by Zehra Tekeci from AA, captioned (emphasis ours): "A limestone sarcophagus is uncovered during excavations at St. Nicholas Church in Demre district of Antalya, Turkiye on December 6, 2024."
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
The photos were likely taken during an event where researchers shared details of the find with the media and public for the first time, but not on the day the sarcophagus was discovered. We have reached out to Tekeci for a comment and will update this article if we receive a response.
Some news article redirected to a pack of images hosted on an official website of the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), operating under the auspices of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
(Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism)
In the photographs, there appeared to be a context label used by archaeologists to identify a specific excavation area or feature at a site. The date shown on the label suggested the tomb was rather discovered on Aug. 24, 2024, not Dec. 6, 2024.
We have reached out to the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism for clarification and will update this report if we receive a response.
Nothing New Under the Sun
Turkish claims that St. Nicholas is buried in Demre are not new. In fact, Turkish officials have openly acknowledged that proving the saint's burial at the site would offer a major boost to tourism. Over the years, multiple reports, from The Guardian to local outlets like Hürriyet Daily News, have documented announcements of potential tomb discoveries beneath Demre's St. Nicholas Church. Despite these claims, as of this writing, the final resting place of St. Nicholas remained contested.
We have recently investigated another Santa Claus related claim: An image allegedly showing a newspaper headline from 1945 saying that children wrote to Santa Claus to ask for atomic bombs for Christmas presents.