Early Christian Basilica, Niculițel

The Early Christian basilica with crypt stands in the north-eastern part of the village of Niculițel, at 1 Muzeului Street, in Niculițel commune, Tulcea County, between Tulcea and Isaccea. The monument belongs to the Gavrilă Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute of Tulcea (ICEM), through its Museum of History and Archaeology. The monument was discovered by chance in 1971, after torrential rains exposed part of the crypt's dome. The basilica was built at the end of the 4th century, under the emperors Valens and Valentinian, and was substantially altered at the beginning of the 5th century, under Theodosius II. Beneath the altar floor lies a two-level martyrs' crypt, fully underground. In the upper level, in a shared coffin, lay the skeletons of four martyrs, whose names, Zotikos, Attalos, Kamasis and Philippos, are written in the wet plaster of the walls. The acts of the martyrs record them as martyred at Noviodunum (Isaccea) on 4 June. The lower level held the bones of two more martyrs, from an older grave dismantled when the crypt was built; their names are unknown. Today visitors can see the ruins of the basilica and the crypt, as part of ICEM Tulcea's museum complex at Niculițel, with set opening hours and an entrance ticket. After the discovery, the relics of the four martyrs were placed in four wooden reliquaries and taken to Cocoș Monastery, about 5 km north-west of Niculițel, where they remain; the Orthodox Church commemorates them on 4 June. The same commune also has the Church of Saint Athanasius and, to the north-east, Saon Monastery. The basilica is a historic monument of national importance, LMI code TL-I-m-A-05862, dated to the 4th to 6th centuries, Romano-Byzantine period. Did you know that access to the lower level of the crypt was closed by an inscription reading: "Here and beyond (lies) the blood of the martyrs"? It is the only surviving mention of the two unknown martyrs buried there.