Monastery of 13 Assyrian Fathers in Kanda (Region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti)
Monastery of 13 Assyrian fathers in the village of Kanda (Georgia. ქანდის წმინდა ცამეტი ასურელი მამის მონასტერი) – The Monastery of the Holy Thirteen Assyrian Fathers of Kanda is the only one in the world where church services are conducted in Georgian and Aramaic – the native language of Jesus Christ. In this small village, there are Orthodox Assyrians who speak Aramaic. The monastery has long been unable to accommodate all the parishioners who come here every Sunday for prayer conducted by the church’s superior, Seraphim Bit-Haribi. With the blessing of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II and according to the resolution of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church, services are conducted here in Aramaic.
Father Seraphim amazes with his unique voice, which seems to take you back to the distant past. The unique chants, the music for which Father Seraphim himself composes, are known far beyond the borders of Georgia. When Pope Francis paid an apostolic visit to Georgia, he was invited to conduct a prayer service in Aramaic in the Svetitskhoveli church. The heartfelt melody and the extraordinary manner in which the church hymns were sung made the abbot. The temple is known far beyond the borders of his homeland. The faithful go to Father Seraphim not only for advice, but also to simply enjoy his singing. There are only two places in the world where church services are conducted in the language of Christ – in the Syrian village of Maalula in the suburbs of Damascus and in the Georgian village of Kanda.
Kanda village (Georgian: სოფელი ქანდა), Mtskheta Municipality (Georgian: მცხეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი)