Archaeologists Identify Probable Site of First Council of Nicaea

İZNİK, TURKEY — Archaeologists excavating beneath the ruins of a lakeside basilica in İznik say they have uncovered the strongest evidence yet identifying the site of the Church of St. Neophytos, the building believed to have hosted the First Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325.

The latest excavation season revealed wall remains, floor paving, and a column base beneath the later Holy Fathers Church, supporting a long-held theory that the earlier church lies directly underneath the basilica. The project, led by Prof. Mustafa Şahin of Bursa Uludağ University with an international team of researchers, sought to determine whether flooring discovered in previous years extended beyond the existing church's walls. A newly opened trench confirmed that it did, indicating the later church was constructed atop an earlier structure.

Şahin said the findings correspond closely with the writings of Eusebius of Caesarea, who attended the First Council of Nicaea and described the gathering as taking place in a small church that miraculously accommodated hundreds of bishops. Researchers believe the original Church of St. Neophytos was destroyed in the earthquake of 368, after which the Holy Fathers Church was built around A.D. 380 to commemorate the council and preserve its location.

Excavators also uncovered artifacts that may shed light on the site's later history, including a gold ring and a thimble tentatively linked to the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. Meanwhile, ongoing excavations in the basilica's central nave continue to examine early burials that predate the later church's construction. Archaeologists hope the discoveries will further illuminate the development of one of Christianity's most significant historic sites.

Previously, the UOJ reported that an ancient Aramaic inscription revealed that early Christians closed a pagan temple in Turkey.