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Archaeologists in Turkey suspect the church may have been built in the year 325, following the First Council of Nicaea.The remains of a 1,600-year-old Byzantine basilica have been discovered at the site of the Councils of Nicaea, at the bottom of a lake in northwest Turkey. “We have found church remains. It is in a basilica plan and has three naves,” said Mustafa Şahin, an archaeology professor at Bursa Uludağ University, told Hurriyet News. Plans are now underway to open an underwater museum to allow tourists to view the foundation of the church, which was found lying in 5-7 feet...

Where exactly did the Council of Nicea meet in 325? As described in their article "Nicea's Underwater Basilica" in the November/December 2018 issue of BAR, Mustafa Sahin and Mark R. Fairchild have an idea. In 2014, an ancient basilica was discovered 165 feet off the coast of Iznik, submerged 6-10 feet under Lake Askanios. Subsequent survey and excavation headed by Professor Mustafa Sahin of Uludag University determined that this Nicea church had three aisles and a central apse and dated to the late fourth-early fifth century... The floor of the basilica's nave lay 1.6 feet lower than its walls, suggesting...

In a startling revelation, Mustafa Uysal, a treasure hunter from Bursa, has claimed to have unearthed an underground city in the Orhangazi district, which he asserts is the true location of the First Council of Nicaea, traditionally believed to have taken place in Iznik. Uysal, who has kept his discovery under wraps for years, is now demanding $50 million to disclose the exact location of this purported archaeological site.Uysal, who turned to treasure hunting after his retirement, stated that his excavations led him to a significant find: an underground city featuring a sarcophagus cemetery and intricate symbols adorning its long...

Uncover the sunken remains of a 4th-century basilica in Turkey. Submerged beneath the waters of Lake Iznik for hundreds of years, the church could reveal crucial insights into the early days of Christianity. Join a team of international researchers as they travel back through time—and grapple with Turkey’s many earthquakes, which could sink the structure deeper at any moment. Sunken Basilica Reveals Glimpse of Early Christianity | Full Episode Secrets of the Dead | 55:35 PBS | 1.69M subscribers | 23,809 views | March 18, 2026

“Who do men say I am?” Jesus posed the question to his disciples as they went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi. John the Baptist, Elijah or other of the prophets, they answered. “But who do you say that I am?” Jesus asked them. And while 11 of the 12 disciples were uncertain, Peter responded, “You are the Christ.” This account, taken from the Gospel According to Mark, appears in slightly different form in Matthew and Luke, the other two synoptic gospels. What is noteworthy is that in none of the accounts does Jesus say He is other than...