Turkish newspaper Hürriyet is reporting that Ankara wants Italy to return the bones of St Nicolas.

The remains of the third century Bishop of Myra, popularly known as St Nicholas, are now in the Basilica of di San Nicola in the South Italian port of Bari. According to the paper, Turkish Culture Minister Ertugrul Günay wants to re-inter the bones in Demre.
 

Many miracles have been attributed to the Bishop of Myra and he was known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. He was also said to give charity in secret and would leave coins in shoes left out for him. This provided the model for the Dutch Sinterklaas, which later became the model for Santa Claus.
 

He was born in the Greek colony of Patara in Asia Minor in 270 CE; he was of Greek extraction and was very religious from an early age. He died in 346 CE.
 

In 1071, the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire loss of the Battle of Manikert and the invading Seljuk Turks temporarily took control over most of Asia Minor. In 1087, the saint's relics were stolen and transported to Bari.
 

A Turkish archaeologist is claiming that St Nicholas said he did not want to be buried in Italy and because the saint lived and died in Turkey, he should be buried in Turkey. Ankara said it will pursue the matter delicately and a time frame has not been set for the return of the saint's bones.