The gist of it is this: In 1087 two Italian cities, Venice and Bari, raced to be the first to steal the bones of St. Nicholas—known to us as Santa Claus—from a basilica in what is now southern Turkey.
Just in the Nick of time. Archaeologists in Turkey have discovered a sarcophagus that they believe could belong to SaintNicholas — the generous Christian holy man who inspired Santa Claus.
Now, archaeologists exploring the church's two-story annexe have located a limestone sarcophagus that could belong to SaintNicholas. The five-foot deep and six-foot-long coffin with a raised ...