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Pope Visits Exposed Iznik Basilica as World Marks 1,700 Years Since Council of Nicaea

Pope Leo XIV and senior Catholic leaders visited a basilica revealed by low water at Lake Iznik to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. Archaeologist Mustafa Sahin and earlier aerial photographs support the site's identification as the Basilica of St. Neophytos, built over the grave of a fourth-century martyr. The council produced the Nicene Creed and set rules for calculating Easter; renewed talks are under way on agreeing a common date. The exposed ruins have spurred pilgrim visits and a rise in local religious tourism.

05:55 AM, 12/01/2025Culture
Pope Visits Exposed Iznik Basilica as World Marks 1,700 Years Since Council of Nicaea

Senior Catholic leaders, including Pope Leo XIV, visited the ruins of a basilica recently exposed by low water levels at Lake Iznik in Turkey to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.

Background

The remains of a large basilica beneath Lake Iznik were first identified from aerial photographs in 2014. Turkish archaeologist Mustafa Sahin and subsequent investigations have produced evidence suggesting the site—built over the grave of St. Neophytos—may be the location where bishops gathered in 325 AD for the council convened by Emperor Constantine I.

Why the Site Matters

At the Council of Nicaea, church leaders debated and codified central Christian doctrine about the nature of Jesus, producing what became known as the Nicene Creed. The council also addressed how to calculate the date of Easter, an issue that still leads to differing observances between many Catholic and Orthodox communities. According to the Vatican, church leaders have renewed discussions in recent years about the possibility of adopting a common date for Easter.

Archaeological evidence strengthening the Iznik identification includes the site's development from an early martyr shrine to a wooden church and finally to a stone basilica, the discovery of burials and relics, and a Vatican fresco that depicts a basilica near a lake—an image that aligns with Iznik's landscape.

Anecdotes, Damage and Modern Response

A colorful anecdote associated with the council recounts that St. Nicholas—who later inspired the figure of Santa Claus—allegedly struck the priest Arius during a heated exchange. Whether apocryphal or not, such stories have become part of the council's long cultural legacy.

Over the centuries, earthquakes, changing shorelines and other natural forces contributed to the site's deterioration and eventual submersion. Some accounts say the building was at one point converted into a mosque before it sank beneath the lake.

Contemporary Significance

Modern Iznik is predominantly Muslim, but the town retains layered Christian and Byzantine history. The recent exposure of the basilica has prompted a surge of pilgrim visits and increased religious tourism. Local businesses have begun offering memorabilia and guided visits to accommodate growing interest, and authorities are balancing preservation concerns with visitor access.

This visit by Catholic leaders highlights both the historical significance of the First Council of Nicaea for Christianity worldwide and the contemporary conversations among Christian communities about unity, memory and shared traditions.

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