Bulgaria will welcome the mortal remains of Tsar Samuil with a state ceremony tomorrow at “Knyaz Alexander I“ Square in Sofia. At the ceremony “Bulgaria welcomes Tsar Samuil“, Prime Minister Rumen Radev will deliver a speech, the press service of the Council of Ministers announced.
More than a thousand years after his death (997 - 1014) Tsar Samuil returns home - to Bulgaria, to whose freedom and independence he dedicated his life. The mortal remains of one of Bulgaria's most famous medieval rulers will be handed over to the Bulgarian state on October 3, at an official ceremony at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki, in the presence of Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the announcement states.
After entering Bulgarian airspace, the military transport plane "Spartan", carrying the mortal remains of Tsar Samuil, will be intercepted and escorted by two pairs of MiG-29 and F-16 fighter jets. The formation will fly over "Knyaz Alexander I" Square at around 12:30 p.m. The fighter jets will fly over the square again after the landing of the "Spartan" transport plane. From "Vasil Levski" Airport to the square “Knyaz Alexander I“ the mortal remains of Tsar Samuil will be carried by the Bulgarian Army.
Within the framework of the state ceremony “Bulgaria welcomes Tsar Samuil“, Prime Minister Rumen Radev will deliver a speech. During the performance of the Bulgarian anthem, 21 artillery salutes will be fired. The ceremony will continue with a procession to the church “St. Sophia“, where citizens will have the opportunity to pay their respects to the mortal remains of Tsar Samuil and a Trisagion will be served.
Around 750 Ministry of Interior employees will be engaged in security and ensuring public order during the state ceremony of receiving and laying the mortal remains of Tsar Samuil on October 3 in Sofia, Chief Inspector Ivan Georgiev, Head of the “Mass Events“ sector, told journalists yesterday. to the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs, in connection with the security measures taken.