Yes, Virginia, there really is a Saint Nicholas

There are modernists in the Catholic Church who downplay the importance, even the very existence, of the saints, especially those canonized long ago, who aren't mentioned in the Bible and about whom little is known. 

Saints Christopher and Valentine, for instance, no longer appear in the post-Vatican II calendar. Another saint about whom there are doubters is Saint Nicholas, the philanthropic Greek bishop and inspiration behind the Christmas icon, Santa Claus.

Born some time after A.D. 260 in Myra (now the Demre district of Antalya, Turkïye), Saint Nicholas was an early Christian bishop. He became idolised for his kindness and generosity, tales of him giving money to those less fortunate lending themselves to legends of miracle work. He is now the patron saint of children and sailors.

Over time, reverence for the holy figure evolved into the creation of Santa Claus, the jolly bearded present-giver and symbol of western Christmas celebrations. The name Santa Claus came from the Dutch name for Saint Nicholas -- Sinter Klaas. His feast day is December 6th. Coincidentally -- call it a miracle? -- it was on that day that archaelogists announced that they have discovered what they believe to be the saint's tomb!

Very little is actually known about the real Saint Nicholas, except that he was buried in the church named after him following his death around A.D. 343 A.D. His actual body's whereabouts have always remained a mystery. It was thought to have been stolen in 1087 and smuggled to the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy. While scientific studies have been carried out on these bones, the evidence that they actually belonged to Saint Nicholas remain inconclusive.

What has been unearthed now is a six-foot-long limestone sarcophagus found buried six feet deep within the two-story annex of the Church of Saint Nicholas Church in Demre, long considered the final resting place of the saint.

Excavations have been under way there since 1989, but this latest find is the most intriguing yet. The project was led by Ebru Fatma Findik, an Associate Professor at Hatay Kemal University, as part of the "Legacy for the Future Project". 

Professor Findik told Turkish media,  "The fact we have found a sarcophagus near the church, which is thought to house his tomb, may indicate that this is indeed the sacred area we have been searching for. This is a significant archaeological confirmation of historical sources regarding the burial place of St Nicholas." 

So far, only the lid of the tomb has been completely uncovered, with a small section of the burial chamber visible. The team are planning further excavations in the coming months to find more clues. While its location lends credibility to the tomb belonging to Saint Nicholas, the research team are now hoping to find an inscription that might reveal more details about who was inside. Speaking to Türkiye Today, Prof. Findik added, "Our biggest hope is to find an inscription on the sarcophagus. This would help clarify the burial contents and allow us to determine the exact period it dates from."

This news should give people -- the doubters as well as the faithful -- pause to recollect that Christmas is, in fact, a Christian festival, based on not just the Holy Bible, but on the traditions handed down to us from our fathers in Faith... like Saint Nicholas.