In a stunning announcement, Mustafa Uysal, a retired and self-taught treasure hunter from Bursa, Turkey, claims to have discovered an underground city in the Orhangazi region—one he believes was the actual site of the First Ecumenical Council.
Uysal contends that history books will need a major rewrite, asserting that the Council was not held in the traditionally recognized location of Nicaea (modern-day İznik in Bithynia), but rather in this newly discovered underground complex.
For years, Uysal kept his alleged discovery secret. Now, however, he is demanding €50 million ($50 million) to disclose the exact location of what he describes as a monumental archaeological find. According to him, the site features catacombs, sarcophagi, twelve altars, statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ, and even the tomb of a so-called "Princess Nike."
"I have found the underground city where the Council took place," Uysal told İhlas News Agency (İHA). "If this is confirmed, it could fundamentally reshape our understanding of Christian history."
The First Ecumenical Council was convened in 325 AD by Emperor Constantine the Great. It established foundational tenets of Christian doctrine, formulated the Nicene Creed, and condemned Arianism—a theological belief that questioned the divinity of Jesus. The Council also marked a turning point in church administration, setting a unified date for Easter and strengthening the authority of bishops.
Uysal claims that the site he located could conceal archaeological and cultural treasures worth up to $150 billion. He has called on the Turkish government to fund the excavation and development of the site, proposing it could become a major tourist attraction within three to six months.
However, his €50 million demand has sparked controversy, raising ethical questions about the commercialization of potential archaeological discoveries—if indeed the claims are genuine.
