In the Bulgarian town of Belitsa, a significant step was taken towards the construction of a new 18-meter bell tower for the historic Church of St. George the Victorious. Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop led the ceremony to bless the site and laid the foundation stone for the project.

The Church of St. George, originally built in 1835, holds deep historical and spiritual significance for the region. Father Nikolai Popov highlighted that the church and the bell tower are closely intertwined with the history of Belitsa and Bulgaria as a whole. The original construction in the mid-19th century involved the entire village, but instead of a bell tower, a clock tower was built, with the clock imported from Vienna. The church was nearly destroyed during the Ilinden Uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1903, but local residents managed to rebuild it on a smaller scale.

The recent blessing ceremony was attended by clergy and local officials, including Belitsa’s Mayor Radoslav Revanski, who emphasized the importance of collective efforts to make the project a reality. The new bell tower, which will feature three bells, is expected to have its sound heard throughout the town.

The bell tower's construction is made possible through donations from parishioners and state support. Metropolitan Seraphim expressed his gratitude to everyone involved in this significant project, noting that the completion of the bell tower and the ongoing restoration of the church are assured through the collaborative efforts of the community and the government.