Santa Claus Originates from Turkey
Myra (Demre) is known as the place where Saint Nicholas, known as Santa Claus (Christmas Father) in the Christianity world, performed his duty as a bishop. Many people don’t know that Myra is in Turkey.
St. Nicholas Church bears great importance for Christians. The Church was in Antalya and was established by the time St. Nicholas, also called Santa Claus, died. There is also a museum in the area in commemoration of St. Nicholas who was born in Patara and spent his entire life in Anatolia. St Nicholas was initially buried here but some traders stole part of his remains during the crusades and took them to Bari. The rest of the bones considered to belong to St. Nicolas are preserved at the Antalya Museum today.
In addition to that…
Did you know Turkey is Turkey is the Focal Point of Three Faiths?
Throughout its long history as a nurturing homeland to Christianity, Judaism and Islam, Turkey has embraced diverse beliefs and preserved the holy sites. For more than a millennium, Turkey has been at the crossroads of civilization, a melting pot of eastern and western traditions and a place where faiths converge.
Tradition holds that Abraham was born in Ur, in today’s Sanliurfa, and sojourned in a little cave in Harran, in Southeast Anatolia. St. Paul, born Saul of Tarsus, spread Christianity on his many missionary journeys throughout the land. The Eastern Orthodox faith reveres the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul. Sultan Selim, upon the conquest of the Mamluks in Egypt, claimed the title of Caliph, or Commander of the Faithful, for himself and established Topkapi Palace as the new home for Islam’s holiest relics. It is no wonder, as incubator or dwelling for the world’s three monotheistic religions, that Turkey is often remembered as “The other Holy Land.”
One may say that began right at the beginning, in the Southeastern town of Sanliurfa, also known as the City of Prophets. Here, the Halil Rahman Mosque now surrounds the cave that is thought to be the birthplace of Abraham. Located 30 miles south of Sanliurfa, the city of Harran (Altinbasak) was Abraham's home when he heard God's call. Also, south of Sanliurfa, in the district of Eyyubiye, the Prophet Job, famed for his patience, is believed to have spent seven years in a cave recovering from illness.
Today, visitors seeking to experience Turkey through the eyes of their faith can visit seminal sites such as the House of the Virgin Mary, Harran Cave, St. Paul’s Grotto, and the Seven Churches of the Revelation, while simultaneously feasting on the wonders of a country that embraces people of all faiths. Take a journey to Turkey and discover these wonderful places of religious importance.