In 2014, the remains of a large basilica under Turkey’s Lake Iznik were discovered by an archaeologist following an aerial photo revealing its outline. This weekend, global Catholic leaders traveled to this ancient site, believed to be the location of one of the most important events in Christian history.
Mustafa Sahin, a Turkish archaeologist, ultimately uncovered what new evidence suggests is the location of the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. Ancient Nicaea was located in what is now Turkey, and the council was called by Emperor Constantine I to define the core Christian belief about Jesus’s divinity and created the Nicene Creed, which still shapes Christianity today.
A recent drought in the area led to falling water levels, where the remains of the Basilica of St. Neophytos were fully submerged. This prompted major Christian leaders, including the Catholic Church’s Pope Leo XIV, to visit the ruins in commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the council.
The council was convened as an effort to find a solution to a theological dispute over the divinity of Jesus Christ; ultimately debating whether he was human or wholly divine. Most bishops affirmed the creed declaring Jesus "of one substance" with God the Father.
A story connected to this alleges that St. Nicholas, who would later become associated with Santa Claus, struck Arius in the head as a debate got heated.
The same council also determined the calculation of Easter, which to this day is typically celebrated on different dates due to a different calendar between Catholic and Orthodox Christians. However, according to the Vatican, religious leaders are discussing the possibility of unifying that date.
The only known church in Nicaea from the 4th century
There are various reasons why archaeologists and Catholic leadership believe this is the most likely location of the council site. It is the only known church in Nicaea from the 4th century, and a fresco painting at the Vatican depicts a basilica with a lake just beyond the city walls, matching Iznik. In addition, other archaeological evidence shows the location evolved first from a shrine to a martyr, then a wooden church, and ultimately ended as a stone basilica.
It was also built over the grave of Christian martyr St. Neophytos, killed in A.D. 303, and is the site of several other Christian burials. Relics have also been found at the site.
Over time, the religious site was destroyed by earthquakes and natural disasters, leading to its submersion. It was also reported at once converted into a mosque before fully sinking into the lake.
Though Iznik is now predominantly Muslim, it has a rich history of Christianity in its past.
Christian pilgrims have largely increased religious tourism in the area since the pope’s announcement of his visit, with other local businesses beginning to sell memorabilia and souvenirs relating to the basilica.