Greece hands over Tsar Samuel’s remains to Bulgaria
A handover ceremony in Thessaloniki on 3 October 2026 follows a cultural agreement under which Bulgaria will return religious relics to Greece.
In short
- A handover ceremony in Thessaloniki on 3 October 2026 follows a cultural agreement under which Bulgaria will return religious relics to Greece.
Greece handed over the remains of medieval ruler Tsar Samuel to Bulgaria at a ceremony in Thessaloniki on 3 October 2026, following decades of negotiations between the neighbouring countries, according to The Guardian.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev attended the ceremony at the Museum of Byzantine Civilization. The remains were due to be flown to Sofia for state honours and a public opportunity to pay respects at the Church of St Sophia.
The transfer follows an agreement between the countries’ culture ministers. Under its terms, Bulgaria will return religious relics taken from Greek monasteries during the First World War. Some Greek academics and religious leaders have questioned whether Bulgaria’s contribution is adequate, The Guardian reported.
Samuel fought the Byzantine Empire and died in 1014. His remains were discovered in a Greek border area about six decades ago.
Mitsotakis linked the handover to Greece’s campaign for the return of the Parthenon sculptures held at the British Museum. That remains a separate dispute; the agreement with Bulgaria does not settle it.
