Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

History Commission: King Samuel was the ruler of the Bulgarian kingdom centered in the present-day Republic of North Macedonia

King Samuel was the ruler of a large medieval state, which most of modern historians consider to be the Bulgarian kingdom with its center in what is today the Republic of North Macedonia, the Joint Commission on Historical and Educational Affairs, composed of Bulgarian and Macedonian historians, has concluded. The Commission’s official recommendation to the governments in Sofia and Skopje is for joint commemoration of personalities and events from the two countries common history, public broadcaster BNT reported.


The Bulgarian kingdom spanned a significant part of the lands and population of the Balkan Peninsula, the document said. Whose ruler - Bulgarian or Macedonian - was King Samuel is one of the most controversial historical disputes between the two states.


The History Commission concluded that the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius "carried out their mission in the literary centres of Preslav and Ohrid, which were then located on the territory of the medieval Bulgarian state, where their disciples found conditions for work". Historians point out that this fact gives grounds for the two countries to jointly celebrate the day of Cyril and Methodius (May 24 - ed.).




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Partiarch Daniil celebrates St Athanasius the Great in the temple of the saint in Gorni Lozen

On the eve of St Athanasius' Day, one of the churches on the outskirts of Sofia is already preparing to welcome His Holiness the Metropolitan of Sofia and Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil , who this year will celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the church in the..

published on 1/17/25 5:34 PM

The Feast of St. Athanasius – between Christianity, rituals and beliefs

Atanasovden, also known as Midwinter in our folk calendar, is a holiday on which the Orthodox Church and our folklore pay tribute to St. Athanasius the Great – Archbishop of Alexandria and a fighter against Arianism (church heresy which rejects the..

published on 1/18/25 6:05 AM

A new temple near Sandanski bears the names of Saints Anthony and Athanasius the Great

The only chapel in the country to bear the names of Saints Anthony and Atha nasius is in Sandanski, and its consecration will be performed by His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop, reports Andon Kotev - one of the initiators of the idea to..

published on 1/17/25 7:00 AM