Italian archaeologists believe they have discovered what may be the tomb of Philip, one of Jesus' 12 apostles
The archaeologists made the find while working in the ancient Asia Minor city of Hierapolis in Turkey's Aegean province of Denizli, and are planning to excavate the unopened grave soon.
Tradition teaches that Phillip came to Hierapolis - known today as Pamukkale - to preach the Gospel but he was crucified upside down by the Romans.
"As we were cleaning out the new church we discovered a month ago, we finally found the grave," said Francesco D'Andria, director of the Institute of Archaeological Heritage, Monuments and Sites at Italy's National Research Council in Lecce.
"With close examination, we determined that the grave had been moved from its previous location in the St Philip Church to this new church in the fifth century, during the Byzantine era.
"Until recently, we thought the grave of St Philip was on Martyrs' Hill, but we discovered no traces of him in the geophysical research conducted in that area. A month ago, we discovered the remnants of an unknown church, 40 metres away from the St Philip Church on Martyrs' Hill. And in that church we discovered the grave of St Philip," D'Andria said.
"We are extremely happy and proud to have discovered the grave of a saint whose name appears in the bible - this surely is an important discovery for religious tourism, archaeology and Christendom."