Brief biographical note on Abbess Seraphima

Nun Seraphima (Dimitrova) is born in Sofia in 1949. She was baptized with the name Christina. She graduated from the French language school, and continued her education at the University of Architecture, Civil Engeneering and Geodesy (then a Higher Institute of Civil Engeneering); she holds a diploma of an architect. In her school-time and student-time Christina Dimitrova could not accept the materialistic worldview which was obligatory in all the countries behind the “iron curtain”. In her quest for the truth about the existence questions she discovered the Orthodox Faith and decided to dedicate herself to it entirely. After she graduated the Institute, she had to work for three years at a designers’ bureau, due to the laws of the communist Bulgaria. During this period she became a spiritual daughter of the ever-memorable Archimandrite Seraphim (Alexiev), who in his turn acquainted her with Matushka Seraphima (Liven), Abbess of the Protection Convent in Knyazhevo. In October 1975, in fulfillment of her desire for monasticism, which was tested through the years, she entered the Convent and took the monastic way under the spiritual guidance of the ever-memorable Matushka Seraphima. She took part in many obediences, which were necessary for the Convent – constructions, icon-painting, photography, etc. With the fall of the communist regime, there appeared the possibility to publish and distribute spiritual literature in the country. With the blessing of Matushka Seraphima, the then novice Christina headed the publishing activities of the Convent. In the 1990s she took part in the organization of the construction of the Dormition Cathedral in Sofia. On February th 7-th, novice Christina is tonsured in Rassophore with the name Zlata in honour of St. Great Martyr Zlata of Meglen; on February th 8-th Rassophore Nun Zlata receives Little Schema with the name Seraphima in honour of St. Seraphim, Archbishop of Boguchar, Wonderworker of Sophia. On October 8th 2012, she was elected Abbess of the Convent by the sisterhood.