In the cemeteries around the basilica in the area of Iznik in Bursa, excavations are conducted.
In the area of the Iznik of the city of Bursa, who is the spiritual leader of the Catholics and the Vatican President of the Lev XIV, is going to visit, work continues in the basilica discovered 11 years ago at a depth of 1.5-2 meters 20 meters from the lake.
Excavations began in 2015 under the scientific leadership of Professor Mustafa Shakhin, head of the Department of Archeology of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of the University of Bursa Uludag.
During the research around the basilica, cemeteries were discovered, which are considered belonging to Christians. Skeletons from graves revealed during archaeological studies on wet soil are extracted, studied and documented by an anthropologist.
After the broken tile in the cemetery is restored, the skeletons will be returned to place.
The Church of the Holy Fathers is disclosed
The scholars of excavations, Professor Mustafa Shakhin, told the Anadolu agency that the work that began in 2015 as surface research went into the category of underwater.
noting that the water departed from the coast in 2020 and that most of the basilica ruins are currently exposed, Shahin said: “We turned underwater excavations into archeology on wet land after 2021, and I think that we are the only research group in Turkey in this regard.”
According to him, the Isznik is important from the point of view of the first cathedral, which gathered on May 20 – July 25, 325.
“at the place where the first cathedral was held, later the church was built, called the” Church of the Holy Fathers. “The results of the excavations showed that the Church, which we now dig out, is the Church of the Holy Fathers. The Pope would come to the izznik and make a visit here. The main reason for this visit was 325. year “.
Recently, the Iznik has an increase in the number of foreign visitors, Shahin: “According to the information that I received from Christians, even if dad does not come, the mention of this area from the mouth of the pope and attracting attention to this place, the Church has become a place of pilgrimage for all Christian faiths. The Iznik again became very important from the point of view of religious tourism.”
This area was once visited as the “Church of the Pilgrims”
Emphasizing that the first cathedral is important for all faiths, Shahin continued his words as follows:
“We try to study the graves around the church. Because these graves are also very important from the point of view of the fact that this place is simultaneously the church of martyrdom and burials. Both concepts show us that this area was once visited and revered as” Church of pilgrims. “According to archaeological data, the church weaved was completely buried and flooded after the 1250s. was completely forgotten. “
