Archaeologists Uncover Church Linked to First Council of Nicaea in Turkey

Archaeologists excavating in Turkey believe they have found the ruins of a church that hosted the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The discovery, led by Professor Mustafa Şahin of Bursa Uludağ University, centers on remnants of an earlier church, identified as the Church of St. Neophitos, which existed before a larger basilica at the site.

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The discovery confirms the hypothesis that the remains of the Church of St. Neophitos are located under the later basilica.

The current excavation season focused on locating the remains of a smaller church where the council's bishops allegedly convened. Researchers investigated whether a previously uncovered floor in a pastophorium, a room for liturgical items, extended beyond the later basilica. Digging a trench east of the pastophorium revealed that the floor did indeed continue, indicating an older building phase.

Professor Şahin explained that this discovery supports the theory that the Church of St. Neophitos lies beneath the later basilica. This earlier church was reportedly destroyed by an earthquake in 368 AD. Archaeologists suggest this finding strengthens the identification of the later structure as the Church of the Holy Fathers, built after 380 AD to honor the bishops of the First Council of Nicaea and the site of their deliberations.

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Eusebius of Caesarea described the meeting place as a small house of prayer or a small church.

Further reinforcing the historical significance, the team found a gold ring and a thimble. The ring, decorated with palm and sword motifs, bears resemblance to items from the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. These artifacts offer insights into the site's subsequent history, including the Umayyad siege of Iznik in 729 AD, during which the Umayyad emir reportedly visited the Church of the Holy Fathers. The findings align with historical accounts, such as those by Eusebius of Caesarea, who described the council's meeting place as a small house of prayer or a small church.

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The latest findings confirm that the later basilica was built directly on the site of an earlier temple.