Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria presided over a memorial service at the historic Church of St. Sophia – the Wisdom of God in Sofia on October 3, following the return to Bulgaria of the remains attributed to Tsar Samuel after more than a millennium.
The Patriarch concelebrated with Metropolitans Gregory of Veliko Tarnovo, John of Varna and Veliki Preslav, Seraphim of Nevrokop, Cyprian of Stara Zagora, Gregory of Vratsa, Jacob of Dorostol and Pachomius of Vidin, as well as Bishop John of Branitsa, First Vicar of the Metropolitan of Sofia, and other clergy.
Following the memorial service, the remains of Tsar Samuel were placed in a marble sarcophagus inside the historic church, where representatives of the state and the Church, along with thousands of citizens, had the opportunity to pay their respects.
Addressing those present, Patriarch Daniel described the return as an important moment for Bulgaria’s historical, ecclesiastical and national memory.
“Gathered together before the mortal remains of Tsar Samuel, let us humbly thank God for the opportunity to have among us, for perpetual national remembrance and veneration, this true treasure of our state, ecclesiastical and national memory,” the Patriarch said.
He noted that the remains would henceforth rest in the ancient Basilica of St. Sophia, which he described as “the ornament and spiritual heart of our capital” and a witness to the centuries-old Christian history of Sofia and the Bulgarian Orthodox people.
Patriarch Daniel also expressed gratitude to the late Greek architect, archaeologist and Byzantinist Professor Nikolaos Moutsopoulos, who first identified the remains as those of Tsar Samuel following their discovery in 1965.
He also thanked the museum staff and specialists who had cared for and preserved the remains over the decades.
“For the Bulgarian people, Tsar Samuel will forever remain a luminous and majestic figure, and for the Church of Christ, a faithful son who lived with faith in God and trust in His support and benevolent providence,” Patriarch Daniel said.
Speaking to the media after the ceremony, the Patriarch emphasized the symbolism of Samuel’s return.
“Today Bulgaria welcomes the bones of its ruler, Tsar Samuel—the Bulgaria for which he gave his life,” he said.
“How important the fighting spirit is, how important courage, bravery and self-sacrifice are. Tsar Samuel lost his life, and Bulgaria lost its political independence at that time, but the spirit remained,” Patriarch Daniel added.
Remains return from Greece after more than a millennium
Thousands of Bulgarians gathered in Sofia earlier on Saturday to welcome the remains attributed to Tsar Samuel, one of the last Bulgarian rulers before the country came under Byzantine rule.
A special state ceremony titled “Bulgaria Welcomes Tsar Samuel” was held in the center of the Bulgarian capital, where the Bulgarian national anthem was played and a 21-gun salute was fired.
Earlier in the day, a Bulgarian state delegation led by Prime Minister Rumen Radev traveled to Thessaloniki for the official handover ceremony. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Culture Minister Lina Mendoni were also present.
The remains were then transported from Thessaloniki to Bulgaria aboard a Spartan military transport aircraft.
Upon entering Bulgarian airspace at around 12:30 p.m., the aircraft was escorted by MiG-29 and F-16 fighter jets. The formation flew over Prince Alexander I Square in Sofia, where thousands of people had gathered.
Following the aircraft’s landing at Vasil Levski Airport, the remains were received with military honors and subsequently transferred to the center of the capital.
“This square remembers many parades and processions, and the turbulent river of our history flows through it. But today we have gathered together to fulfill a moving mission and a long-awaited duty,” Prime Minister Radev said during the ceremony.
Referring to the agreement reached between Bulgaria and Greece, Radev expressed his gratitude to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis “for the wisdom and courage” that, according to him, enabled the two countries to reach the historic agreement and return the remains to Bulgaria.
The state ceremony was followed by a procession to the Church of St. Sophia, where Patriarch Daniel presided over the memorial service.
Along with the remains attributed to Tsar Samuel, Bulgaria also received remains discovered in two other sarcophagi at the Basilica of St. Achillios in Prespes. They are believed to belong to Tsar Gavril Radomir and other members of the royal family.
The events in Sofia were attended by senior state officials, former Bulgarian presidents and prime ministers, political leaders, members of the Bulgarian and European parliaments, representatives of the diplomatic corps, senior military officials, representatives of religious communities and thousands of citizens.
Text, photos and video: Angel Karadakov
