Page 144 - Sarpedon’dan Keykubad’a Bir Zamanlar Antalya

However, after his death, a large church building was built in
his name in Demre and it was called St. Nicholas Church. It is
believed that the tomb of Nicholas, who received the title of Saint
after his death, is beneath this church, and every year on Decem-
ber the 6th, Christian clergy commemorate their great saint by
performing rituals here after him.
This great character in the history of Christianity was born in
Antalya and spent his whole life, except for his pilgrimage, here.
The tomb church dedicated to him after his death is still standing
today in the Demre district of Antalya (Doğan 2014; Çevik 2015; Işık
2019; Demirci 2020).
Excavation and research work in the Church of St. Nicholas in
Demre was carried out by Hacettepe University Art History De-
partment member Prof. Dr. Sema Doğan.

Fig.98: The Church of St. Nicholas in Demre is still standing today.
Photo by S. Pamuk

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