# Greece hands Bulgaria Tsar Samuel’s remains in exchange for 48 relics

https://mins.news/en/item/84625

- TASS, 2026-10-03 12:43 UTC
- Culture
- Original: https://tass.com/society/2197141

> Greece handed Bulgaria the remains of Tsar Samuel in Thessaloniki, in exchange for 48 historical relics taken from Greek monasteries to Sofia during World War I. The countries’ culture ministers signed the protocol at the Museum of Byzantine Culture after nearly half a century of negotiations. The returned objects will be displayed there until November 5, 2026, before being sent back to their historic homes.

## Related coverage

- [Remains of medieval Bulgarian king Czar Samuel return after decades of talks with Greece](https://mins.news/en/video/84956) — The Associated Press, 2026-10-03
- [Remains of Bulgaria’s Czar Samuel return ‘home’ after 1,000 years](https://mins.news/en/item/84873) — Al Jazeera, 2026-10-03
- [Greece returns remains of Czar Samuel to Bulgaria](https://mins.news/en/item/84613) — DW, 2026-10-03
- [Remains of medieval tsar return to Bulgaria after decades-long dispute with Greece](https://mins.news/en/item/84561) — The Guardian, 2026-10-03