Archaeologists in Turkey believe they may have found the tomb of the original Santa Claus, or Saint Nicholas, beneath an ancient church in Demre, Turkey.
The tomb had been previously undiscovered, but was found during electronic scans that showed gaps under St. Nicholas Church.
“We believe this shrine has not been damaged at all, but it is quite difficult to get to it as there are mosaics on the floor,” the head of Antalya’s Monument Authority Cemil Karabayram said, Newsweek reported. Archeologists will have to excavate each tile individually and remove them with a mold.
Nicholas of Myra was a saint who gave anonymous gifts to the needy by putting them into residents’ stockings left to dry by the fire, according to legend. He was thought to have been laid to rest in Demre, but his bones were thought to have been disturbed during the Crusades and taken to Bari or Venice, Italy, according to Newsweek.
Experts now believe, however, that the bones currently resting at Bari belong to an anonymous priest and not Nicholas.
Karabayram said he was trying to hire researchers from eight different specialties to work at the excavation site, IB Times reported. Karabayram and lead excavation Professor Sema Dogan expect the find will be a huge tourism boost to Demre.
Saint Nicholas was popularized in 16th century Europe as Father Christmas, who gave presents to young children.
Twitter users were scandalized that anyone would report Santa Claus as being dead.
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