Ioniță Caloian
Systematic archaeological research of the church started in 1969. In 1972, a royal burial of a 1.9 m-tall accoutred man was excavated that included a massive (61.1-gram) gold ring bearing a heraldic image and the inscription "Kaloyanov prasten" (, "Kaloyan's ring") in negative (see photo). After extensive reconstruction works, the Holy Forty Martyrs Church was fully renovated in the 2000s and opened once again to the public, with an official inauguration on 14 September 2006. The church modern looks greatly resembles its medieval structure. Following the church's reconstruction, it has been used as the burial place for the remains of Bulgarian emperors and nobility, among whom Kaloyan of Bulgaria.