Myra
Where is Myra today? The Lycian city at Demre, Antalya, Türkiye, where Paul changed ships on his way to Rome; also the city of St Nicholas.
- Today
- Demre, Antalya
- Country
- Türkiye
- Status
- Archaeological site: Myra; St Nicholas Church (museum)
- Identification
- Certain
Myra was one of the leading cities of Lycia. When Paul was being taken to Rome as a prisoner, his ship crossed the sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia and reached Myra, where the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put the prisoners on board (Acts 27:5–6). That ship carried them into a storm, a shipwreck on Malta and finally on to Rome (Acts 27–28). In church tradition Myra is known for St Nicholas, its 4th-century bishop and the figure behind Santa Claus. The site is now in the Demre district of Antalya.
Read the chapters
- Acts 27
A chapter recounting in vivid detail how the ship carrying Paul as a prisoner is caught in a violent storm, highlighting one man who keeps his composure on a voyage that seems hopeless.
Related topics
Related people
- Paul
- Peter
- Barnabas
- Stephen
- Lydia
- Matthew
- Timothy
- John the Apostle
- Philip the Apostle
- Judas Iscariot
- Mark
Related verse collections
- Bible Verses About Salvation
- Bible Verses About Repentance
- Bible Verses About Generosity
- Bible Verses About Witness
Reading plans
- The Early Church Through Acts — 28 Days
- The Bible in a Year — 365 Days from Cover to Cover
- 30 Days with the Gospel — An Introduction to the New Testament
Books
Places in the Bible
Where is Myra today?
Myra is today in Türkiye, in the Demre district of Antalya. Paul, on his way to Rome as a prisoner, was transferred here to a ship bound for Italy (Acts 27:5–6). At the Myra site you can see Lycian rock-cut tombs and a Roman theatre, and at nearby Andriake the remains of the ancient harbour. The Church of St Nicholas in the town centre is preserved as a museum; church tradition links the city with Bishop Nicholas, the figure behind Santa Claus.
What did Paul do in Myra?
Acts does not describe anything Paul did in Myra; it only says that the centurion in charge of the prisoners found an Alexandrian ship there bound for Italy, and the voyage continued on that ship (Acts 27:5–6).
Where is the Church of St Nicholas?
The Church of St Nicholas stands in the centre of Demre, Antalya, and is now preserved as a museum. Church tradition links it with the place where Nicholas served as bishop of Myra and was buried; most of the saint's relics were taken to Bari in Italy in 1087.