Maxim

Religious Leader. He shall be remembered for his tenure of more than 40 years as head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Born Marin Naidenov Minkov in the small village of Oreshak, he was raised and educated in the Balkan mountains prior to entering the Sofia Seminary. Following his 1935 graduation he studied theology at Sofia University and was ordained a priest in 1941. Minkov held various administrative positions within his church prior to being consectated titular Bishop of Branit in 1956 then in 1960 was named Metropolitan of Lovech. Though some felt he got along a bit too well with the Communist regime he built up his power base and on July 4, 1971, was elected successor to Patriarch Cyril. His reign was not easy as he had to deal with low church attendance and the old recycled collaboration charges. The fall of Communism had the effect of increasing resentments and thru the 1990s there was open schism with a rival synod operating but Maxim was to win praise for his 2002 meeting with Pope John Paul II, was eventually cleared of associating with the Communists, and by 2010 was able to heal the divisions and unify his church. The Patriarch died of heart failure and the infirmities of advanced age.