Five Feet, Nine Inches Above Ground

Wednesday February 04, 2026

Yes, the commercialized secular Santa Claus originated in the ancient city of Myra, Türkiye in the person of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. Today, the original church of St.Nicholas is a well preserved museum/ruin. It dates from the 8th century CE onward although there has been a church on the site since the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) era in the 6th century. Traditionally, St. Nicholas is thought to have been born in Patara on the 15th of March 270 and died here on 6th December 343. His remains were entombed in the church. In 1087, a group of Italian merchants from Bari, Italy, without permission from anyone, moved most of his skeleton to Bari where they are now enshrined in the Basilica di San Nicola. There was also a monastery attached to this church. In 1863, Emperor Alexander II of Russia purchased the site and began restoration but it was never completed. The building was left to deteriorate in 1923 when the Greek population was forced to leave during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey. Finally, in 1963, excavations began on parts of the site and an area was roofed over in 1968. Further work has been done since 2007. It was a fascinating experience to walk on the floors where centuries ago, Bishop Nicholas and his brothers went about their daily lives. I sat for awhile in a quiet corner and listened for the tread of their footsteps on the stone and mosaic floor, gazed at the remains of faded frescoes that must have blazed with colour in the candlelight. And then, the Muslim call to prayer rang out across the town and I was caught at the juxtaposition of two faiths, many cultures and modern Türkiye. Sublime.

On the 6th December 2011, for the first time in centuries, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the church.

The building is intimate and solidly constructed. The remains of the mosaics on the floor of nave and chancel give a taste of what they must have been like when they were younger. Age hasn’t destroyed their beauty. To give a sense of the size of the building, here is an exterior shot.

And of course, always look up! There are ceilings, domes, arches and more to be discovered.

Before leaving, a few shots of the exterior.

The next stop was the outdoor museum of the ancient city of Myra. Probably founded by the Lycians, the city was under the control of Greece, the Romans, the Seljuks and the Ottomans. It contains the remains of rock cut tombs and an amphitheatre.

And then it was time for a late lunch in the modern part of Myra known today as Demre. It was a delicious spread of Turkish food served on the upper floor of a restaurant overlooking the town square. There was an advertisement painted on a wall that I found immensely intriguing.

After a bit of a wander to settle our food, we headed back to our abode. We arrived in time for another impressive sunset.

Thank you, dear readers for participating in this journey. Until next time.