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

Famous Orthodox clergyman Archimandrite Seraphim Bit-Kharibi from the Georgian Orthodox Church is in Bulgaria

Chants in Aramaic performed at Bulgaria's Bachkovo Monastery, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Photo: Bulgarian Orthodox Church

The world-famous Orthodox clergyman Archimandrite Seraphim Bit-Kharibi from the Georgian Orthodox Church is visiting Bulgaria, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has announced. 

Today, Archimandrite Seraphim will give a concert with chants in the ancient Aramaic language (spoken by Christ) in the Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria's second-biggest monastery located near Plovdiv.

On Sunday, he will perform Orthodox chants in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia at the Hierarch's Holy Liturgy.

Archimandrite Seraphim was born in 1978 to a Georgian Assyrian father and a Georgian mother. In his youth, he was an active athlete, practicing taekwondo and karate, and becoming a four-time Georgian champion in Eastern style wrestling. He is married and has three children. He was running a sports school in Kyiv. 

In 2006, Seraphim Bit-Kharibi became a monk in Ukraine, and in 2008 he began serving in Stara Kanda, near Tbilisi, where he was ordained a deacon in 2010. With the blessing of Georgian Catholic Patriarch Elijah II, Father Seraphim began serving in Assyrian and Old Aramaic. composing polyphonic chants and psalms in ancient languages with modern melodies. 

In 2015, he received the rank of skhiarchimandrite of the newly built monastery "Thirteen Holy Syrian Fathers".




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

Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks Petkovden, the day of Saint Petka

On October 14, the Bulgarian Orthodox church pays homage to Saint Paraskeva, also called St. Petka of Tarnovo and the day is known in Bulgaria as "Petkovden". Saint Petka was born in the 11th century in the town of Epibat, on the Sea of..

published on 10/14/25 9:39 AM

Renovated St. Ivan Rilski Church in Chicago to welcome first parish priest

On 19 October 2025, the day on which Orthodox Bulgarians commemorate St Ivan Rilski the Miracle-Worker, the newly renovated St Ivan Rilski Church in Chicago will officially reopen its doors. Named after Bulgaria’s heavenly patron , the church will host..

published on 10/10/25 4:31 PM

Bulgarian archaeologists uncover large circular temple at Perperikon

Archaeologist Nikolay Ovcharov on Thursday announced the discovery of a large circular temple at Perperikon, the early-historic rock complex in the Eastern Rhodopes, BTA reported. Dating to the 3rd–4th centuries AD , the structure is believed to..

published on 10/10/25 8:15 AM