Maxim of Bulgaria : Further reading Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maxim of Bulgaria

Bulgarian Orthodox Patriarch from 1971 to 2012

Патриарх Максим

ChurchBulgarian Orthodox ChurchSeeSofiaInstalled4 July 1971Term ended6 November 2012PredecessorKyrilSuccessorNeofitOrdersOrdination1941Consecration1956RankPatriarchPersonal detailsBorn

Marin Naydenov Minkov

(1914-10-29)October 29, 1914

Oreshak, Bulgaria

DiedNovember 6, 2012(2012-11-06) (aged 98)
Sofia, BulgariaBuriedTroyan MonasteryPrevious post(s)

Protosyngellos of Dorostolo-Cherven (diocese) (1947‍–‍1950)^[1]
Primate of the Bulgarian Ecclesiastical Court at the Moscow Patriarchate (1950‍–‍1955)^[1]
Secretary General of the Holy Synod (1955‍–‍1960)^[1]
Titular bishop of Branit (1956–1960)
Metropolitan of Lovech (1960‍–‍1971)

Education

Sofia Theological Seminary
Faculty of Theology of Sofia University

Patriarch Maxim (Maximus) (Bulgarian: Патриарх Максим) (born Marin Naydenov Minkov, October 29, 1914^[2]^{[full citation needed]} – November 6, 2012) was the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church from 1971 until his death.^[1]^[3]

He was born in Oreshak, the second of the two children of Nayden Minkov Rachev and Pena Bordzhukova, but very little is known about his parents' background. He was educated only in his native mountain village of Oreshak but from his late childhood, he became a novice monk in the Troyan Monastery and then studied Orthodox Theology at Sofia University, from which he graduated in 1935 with honours. In 1942 he graduated from the Saint Clement of Ohrid State University of Sofia. He took Holy Orders in 1941 and became secretary general of the Holy Synod in 1955 and titular bishop of Branit on December 30, 1956.

In 1960, he was elected Metropolitan of Lovech on October 30, 1960, and won the election as Patriarch on July 4, 1971, after Patriarch Kyril died.

In the early 1990s, a split in the Bulgarian Church was stimulated by the government of the Union of Democratic Forces, based on the alleged cooperation and affiliation of Maxim with the former regime. However, Maxim was able to take control of the majority of the parishes and to prevent any schismatic threats within the Church. The faction against Maxim formed the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Alternative synod.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Патриарх Максим почина (видео) [Patriarch Maxim died (video)]. 24chasa.bg (in Bulgarian). Archived from the original on 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
^ novinite.com 29 October 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
^ "Patriarch Maxim, Orthodox Leader of Bulgaria, Dies at 98". The New York Times. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012.

External links

Media related to Maxim of Bulgaria at Wikimedia Commons

Eastern Orthodox Church titles
Preceded by Kyril	Patriarch of All Bulgaria 1971–2012	Succeeded by Neofit
Preceded by unknown	Metropolitan of Lovech 1960–1971	Succeeded by unknown
Preceded by unknown	Titular bishop of Branit 1956–1960	Succeeded by unknown