Sofia (Monitoring Desk) — The remains of renowned medieval Bulgarian ruler Tsar Samuel have been returned to Bulgaria from Greece after nearly 60 years. The remains were handed over to Bulgaria following lengthy diplomatic negotiations.
Tsar Samuel ruled the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 1014 and fought several wars against the Byzantine Empire. In 1014, the Byzantine army defeated his forces, and Tsar Samuel died some time later. He is still considered an important symbol of national identity in Bulgaria.
The remains were discovered in 1969 by Greek archaeologist Nikolaos Moutsopoulos during excavations at an ancient church on the island of Saint Achilleios in Lake Prespa.
Based on archaeological and anthropological evidence, the remains were attributed to Tsar Samuel. However, some experts still do not consider the identification to be conclusively proven.
Under a recent agreement between Greece and Bulgaria, Greece handed over the remains to Bulgaria, while Bulgaria agreed to return 48 religious artifacts that had been taken from Greece during World War I.
The remains were transported to the Bulgarian capital Sofia by military aircraft, where they were welcomed with a 21-gun salute and full state honors. They were later laid to rest at the Church of Saint Sofia.