Greece Returns Tsar Samuel's Remains to Bulgaria in Historic Exchange

Greece and Bulgaria completed a historic repatriation of the remains of Tsar Samuel, who ruled from 997 to 1014 CE, on October 3, 2026. The handover took place at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, attended by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Bulgarian President Roumen Radev. The transfer included the remains of Tsar Samuel and two other sarcophagi attributed to his son, Gavril Radomir, and other royal family members.

The repatriation was the result of a reciprocal agreement and a memorandum of understanding signed by the culture ministers of both nations. In exchange for the remains, Bulgaria returned 48 ecclesiastical artifacts to Greece that had been taken from the diocese of Serres and Nigrita during World War I. Prime Minister Mitsotakis stated that the initiative reflects a global shift in protecting cultural heritage and expressed hope that the gesture would support Greece's campaign for the return of the Parthenon marbles from the British Museum.

Upon arriving in Sofia via military aircraft escorted by fighter jets, the remains were received with full state honors, including a 21-gun salute. Thousands of people accompanied the coffin in a procession to the Church of St. Sophia, where the remains were interred in a marble sarcophagus. While Bulgarian and Greek leaders described the exchange as a step toward friendship and European unity, the event sparked tension with North Macedonia, where officials emphasized the defense of Macedonian identity in response to the ceremony.