From The Nijasun News Desk
Archaeologists excavating beneath Lake İznik in Turkey have uncovered the remains of a small, ancient church that may have been connected to the historic First Council of Nicaea, one of the most important gatherings in the early history of Christianity.
The discovery, however, has sparked debate among experts, with some historians cautioning that there is not enough evidence to conclude that the church was the actual meeting place of the council.
The First Council of Nicaea took place in A.D. 325 in the ancient city of Nicaea, now İznik, Turkey. Convened under Roman Emperor Constantine I, the council brought together hundreds of Christian bishops to address major theological disputes and produced the Nicene Creed, a foundational statement of Christian belief.
Archaeologists first discovered a larger submerged church beneath Lake İznik in 2014. Since 2015, excavations have revealed the remains of a smaller church underneath the larger basilica.
According to Mustafa Şahin, an archaeology professor at Bursa Uludağ University who leads the excavation, the smaller structure is older because its pavement lies about 30 centimetres below the floor of the larger basilica.
Şahin believes the discovery could be particularly significant because Eusebius of Caesarea, one of the bishops associated with the council, described a “house of prayer” or small church in connection with the gathering.
The archaeologist suggested that the smaller structure could be the Church of Neophytos, named after a Christian from Nicaea who was killed in A.D. 303. The larger church may have been the Church of the Holy Fathers, which was reportedly named in commemoration of the Council of Nicaea.
Historical and archaeological evidence suggests that the smaller church was destroyed by an earthquake around A.D. 368, while a larger church was constructed on the same site around A.D. 380.
Only the stone foundation and pavement of the smaller structure have so far been identified; its walls and decorations have not been found.
Experts question council-site claim
Despite the excitement surrounding the discovery, other scholars have urged caution.
Young Richard Kim, a classics professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, noted that the smaller church has not yet been securely dated. He also pointed out that Eusebius described the opening session of the council as taking place in the imperial palace.
The location of Constantine’s imperial palace has never been conclusively identified and may itself lie beneath Lake İznik.
Charles Odahl, professor emeritus of history at Boise State University, similarly argued that the council was held in an imperial palace beside Lake Nicaea, rather than in the underwater church.
Historian David Gwynn of Royal Holloway, University of London, offered a more measured assessment, saying evidence that the earlier church could date to the early fourth century and therefore have a possible connection with the Council of Nicaea was promising.
However, he warned against overstating the significance of the building, noting that the council lasted more than a month and involved hundreds of bishops as well as a large number of clergy and support staff.
Excavation and analysis of the site are continuing, meaning archaeologists may yet uncover evidence that could strengthen—or weaken—the proposed connection between the church and the historic council.
For now, the discovery provides a new glimpse into the Christian world of fourth-century Nicaea and the setting in which one of Christianity’s most consequential councils took place.
Source: Live Science, published August 17, 2026. Read the original Live Science report
