Blessed Kamen Vitchev

detail from an icon of Blessed Kamen Vitchev, Blessed Pavel Djidjov, and Blessed Josaphat Chichkov; swiped from the Vatican web siteAlso known as

  • Peter Vitchev

Memorial

Profile

Born to a pious, orthodox Eastern Rite family, Peter was educated in Strem (in modern Austria) and Adrianopolis (modern Edirne, Turkey). He joined the Congregation of the Assumption on 8 September 1910 in Gemp, taking the name Kamen. Professor at the College of Saint Augustine in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in 1918. Teacher at the Little Seminary of Koum Kapou in Istanbul, Turkey. Professor of theology in Kadiköy, Turkey in 1920. Ordained in the Eastern rite on 22 December 1921.

Kamen studied in Rome, Italy, and in Strasbourg, France, and received his doctorate in theology in 1929. He returned to the College of Saint Augustine in Plovidiv in 1930 where he served as teacher, college rector, dean of studies, and lecturer in philosophy. He was known as a stern authority figure who expected much from his students; they responded, academic standards were high, and he received great respect. Along with his work, he wrote for several magazines on matters relating to science and religion, often using pen names.

On 2 August 1948 the Communists closed the College, and Father Kamen was named superior of the seminary of Plovdiv. When the Communists expelled all the foreign religious later that year, Kamen was chosen as Provincial Vicar of the Bulgarian Assumptionists. Arrested by the government on 4 July 1952 for the anti-state offense of being a priest. He was accused of leading a Catholic conspiracy against the Communists, and was martyred.

Born

Died

Venerated

Beatified

MLA Citation

  • “Blessed Kamen Vitchev“. CatholicSaints.Info. 7 July 2023. Web. 28 March 2024. <>