A tomb believed to be that of St Philip the Apostle was unearthed during excavations in the ancient Turkish city of Hierapolis. Hierapolos whose name means "sacred city" is an ancient city famous for its hot springs and a spa since the 2nd century.
It was found whilst working on the ruins of a newly unearthed church. It is believed that the structure of the tomb and the writing on the wall proved it belonged to St Philip.He is thought to have died in Hierapolis, in the SW province of Denizli in around 80 AD. St Philips is recognized as one of Christianitys martyrs and it is believed he was crucified upside down or beheaded.
Whilst it is expected to become an important Christian pilgrimage destination the tomb is not open to the public yet and a date is not known at this early stage as to when it will be.
Turkey is a treasure trove of archaelogiocal sites as it has seen a potpourri of cultures over the centuries - Assyrians, Phrygains, Persians, Romands, Ottomans and Byzantinians.
Weekend a La carte offers a Istanbul and Cappadocia break where you can see some of these sites by combining some of the main sites of Istanbul such as the Byzantine Hippodrome and Roman Cistern with the beautiful Byzantine art in the open air churches of Goreme and the 7th Century Subterranean City of Kaymakli founded by Christians fleeing persecution.
