Bulgaria and Greece Have Agreed to a Historic Exchange of Cultural Relics

The culture ministers of Bulgaria and Greece signed a memorandum of understanding in Athens that provides for the mutual transfer of historical artifacts and remains of great significance to both countries. According to BTA, this agreement marks an important step in cultural cooperation between the two countries.

As part of the agreements reached, Bulgaria is returning 48 church relics to Greece. These items were taken to Sofia in 1917 during World War I and have been housed at the National Historical Museum of Bulgaria ever since. Among them are artifacts from the monasteries of “Holy Mother of God Ikosifinisa” and “St. John the Baptist” in the Serres region.

For its part, Greece is handing over to Bulgaria the remains discovered in 1965 in the Basilica of Saint Achilles, which have been identified as those of the Bulgarian Tsar Samuel (997–1014), as well as other anthropological materials from the sarcophagi found there. Until recently, they were housed at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki.

The official signing ceremony for the protocols will take place on October 3 in Thessaloniki in the presence of Prime Ministers Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Rumen Radev. As the Bulgarian leader clarified, Tsar Samuel’s remains will be transported to Sofia by military aircraft and solemnly interred in the Basilica of Saint Sophia. The countries also agreed to continue negotiations on the possible inclusion of other historical sites in future agreements.