Remains of Bulgaria’s Czar Samuel return ‘home’ after 1,000 years

What the report says

Remains attributed to medieval Bulgarian ruler Czar Samuel were flown to Sofia on Saturday after more than 1,000 years, according to Al Jazeera’s report. Samuel is regarded in Bulgaria as a major figure in national identity, and the transfer was presented there as a symbolic return of a ruler long linked to the country’s history. The article says the remains had been found in a Greek border area in the 1960s and that their return followed years of negotiations between Bulgaria and Greece.

A public ceremony in Sofia drew thousands of people, with Bulgarian officials, a military honor guard, a 21-gun salute and a jet flypast marking the arrival. The remains were to be placed in the Church of Saint Sofia. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev used the moment to call for historical reconciliation and peaceful relations in Europe, reflecting the sensitivity that still surrounds the legacy of the medieval Balkans.

The handover was part of a wider cultural agreement between the two countries. In exchange, Greece is expected to receive 48 objects that Bulgarian forces took from churches and monasteries in Greece during World War I. Al Jazeera also notes that Samuel’s legacy remains disputed beyond Bulgaria, with North Macedonia also claiming him as part of its historical heritage. The episode highlights how medieval history, national identity and cultural restitution continue to influence regional diplomacy today.