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His Holiness '''Maxim (Minkov)''', [[MetropolitanPatriarch]] of Bulgaria and Bishop of Sofia, was the [[Patriarchprimate]] of All the [[Church of Bulgaria is ]] from 1971 until his death on [[November 6]], 2012. ==Life==His Holiness Maxim was born Marin Naydenov Minkov on [[October 29]], 1914 in the current village of Oreshak, near the town of Troyan. Marin received his theological education at the Sofia Seminary of St. John of Rila and the Orthodox Theological Department of Sofia University.  In 1941, he was [[primatetonsure]]d and received the name Maxim and then entered the [[Holy Orders]]. In 1955, he was named secretary general of the [[Holy Synod]] . In 1956, he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] with the titular Bishop of Branit. In 1960, he was elected [[Metropolitan]] of Lovech, and then on [[July 4]], 1971, he was elected Patriarch of Bulgaria. Patr. Maxim led the Church of Bulgariaduring much of the period of the communist dictatorship and the transition of Bulgaria to a non-communist state. During much of this period the Church of Bulgaria was split into to warring Synods. Patriarch Maxim passed away [[November 6]], 2012, a few days after his 98th birthday.{{stub}}

years=1971-present2012|after=—[[Neofit (Dimitrov) of Bulgaria|Neofit (Dimitrov)]]}}

*[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=98346 Head of Bulgarian Orthodox Church Patriarch Maksim]*[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=144829 Bulgarian Orthodox Patriarch Maxim Dies at 98]*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/bulgaria/currentbios/bio_maxim_patr_bulgaria.htm#maxim_patr html Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute