Under the scientific coordination of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şahin, underwater archaeological excavations and research started in 2015 at the basilica located 20 meters off the shore and 1.5–2 meters deep in Lake İznik, near the district of İznik in Bursa, Turkey, where Pope Leo XIV announced he would travel. "Our team includes geologists, geophysicists, and restorers. Therefore, a wide and comprehensive study is being carried out," said Şahin.
