Greece will return to Bulgaria remains attributed to Tsar Samuel, one of the country’s last rulers before its conquest by the Byzantine Empire, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced on Tuesday.
Sofia has long sought the remains of Samuel, who reigned from 997 to 1014. They were uncovered during excavations launched in 1965 at a basilica on an island in a lake shared by Greece and Albania.
The handover will take place on Saturday at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, during a ceremony hosted by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“The memory of Tsar Samuel today unites the two countries instead of dividing them,” Radev said, thanking Mitsotakis for his “political courage”.
Samuel’s reign was marked by constant conflict with the Byzantines. He is said to have died of shock after 15,000 soldiers were returned to him blinded on the orders of Byzantine emperor Basil II following a catastrophic defeat.
The remains will travel by military plane to Sofia for a public ceremony and procession to the Church of Saint Sofia, where they will be laid to rest.
The agreement also provides for reciprocal transfers of historical, religious and cultural objects.
Athens will hand over remains from two other sarcophagi, attributed by Bulgarian authorities to Samuel’s son and successor, Gavril Radomir, and other royal relatives.
Greece will receive 48 objects taken from the diocese of Serres and Nigrita during the First World War and held at Sofia’s National Historical Museum, the Greek culture ministry said. — AFP
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