Greece Returns Tsar Samuel's Remains to Bulgaria
Greece returned the remains of Tsar Samuel to Bulgaria. The exchange of relics and bones took place in Thessaloniki, Greece.
The remains arrived in Bulgaria after decades of negotiations. Bulgaria also returned 48 religious relics taken from Greek monasteries in 1917.
This was during the First World War. Some Greek academics and religious leaders criticized the exchange as not enough.
Tsar Samuel ruled the Bulgarian Empire in the Middle Ages. He is an important symbol of Bulgarian national identity.
Bulgaria has sought his remains since the 1960s. Greece's prime minister said he hoped the handover would persuade Britain. He said the time had come for “truth, reason, justice and morality.” He was speaking about the Parthenon marbles.
Klear Note — Medieval ruler Tsar Samuel remains an important symbol of Bulgarian identity. Bulgaria had sought his remains since the 1960s.
Key Terms 3
- Tsar A title for a ruler or emperor in parts of Eastern Europe.
- Relics Holy objects or bones kept because of their link to saints or rulers.
- Parthenon marbles Ancient Greek sculptures from Athens that Greece wants back from Britain.