Turkish authorities discovered the remains of what was said to be a church found underwater, in a lake in the town of Iznik near the city of Bursa, which was part of the ancient Greek city of Nicaea.
In ancient times, Nicaea played the role of the religious and cultural center in the Byzantine era and in the early stages of the spread of Christianity.
According to Daily Sabah, the discovered church dates back to the 5th century AD and was built in honor of Saint Neophotos.
Experts say that the church was submerged in water in the year 740 AD, following an earthquake that struck the region, but the drought and declining water levels were easy to detect recently through aerial photographs taken.
According to the "My Modern Mate" website, according to the Turkish archaeologist, Mustafa Shaheen, several graves were found on the site of the church, along with the skeletons of young children and a middle-aged person.
Shaheen goes beyond the submerged building to be a Christian church, especially since it is believed that it was a pagan temple dedicated to the worship of the Greek god, Apollo.
Shaheen reinforced his idea with artifacts found at the site, which included coins and pieces of old lamps, consistent with his statement that the building was a temple.
