The new Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church will be elected over the next four months

In connection with the death of the Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim, over the next seven days, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BPC) will be headed by the Velikytyrnovsky Metropolitan Grigory. During this time, the Holy Synod will choose the acting head of the BPC. This was announced today by Metropolitan Gabriel.

“The choice of the new patriarch will be held according to the Charter of the BPC. Until the acting head of the BPC will be determined, within seven days the church will be headed by the senior member of the“ reduced composition ”of the Holy Synod of the BPC, the Great Blood Metropolitan Grigory (“ reduced composition ”consists of four metropolitans, which are selected once every four years. Metropolitan Gabriel. He also noted that within four months after the death of the Patriarch, the new Primate of the BPC should be chosen.

Patriarch Maxim was a great patriot, a defender of Orthodoxy and truth, said Metropolitan Dometian before the mourning meeting of the Holy Synod of the BPC. According to him, in the last years of his life, the Primate of the BPC sought to introduce Orthodox education in secondary schools.

"The years in which the Bulgarian people lived during atheism left deep traces of insensibility to faith and church. We all see the fruits of this," said Metropolitan Domutian.

“According to the charter, all metropolitans are candidates (to the patriarchal throne), to whom God's providence will indicate, he will be,” added Metropolitan Dometian, who believes that the next head of the BPC should have physical, moral and mental forces to fulfill his duty. Regarding the possible reforms of the church with the advent of the new Patriarch, Metropolitan Vidinsky replied that "the truths of faith are not subject to reforms, it is necessary to deal with the indifference of society in the field of spirituality."

One of the most influential members of the Holy Synod of the BPC, Metropolitan Barnensky and Velikopreslavsky, among the main merits of the deceased Patriarch, determined the "preservation of the unity of the Bulgarian Church."

"Patriarch Maxim was one and the most honored rectors of the Bulgarian Church, who ruled it for more than 40 years. I would say that he is one of the last boots (activists of the national, cultural and linguistic revival among the Slavic peoples. - Approx. ITAR -TASS). We must remember his patience. He never poured anger, as some high -ranking church and state -owned. To find another personality, we must remember his bright example of good creativity, humility and patience, ”said Metropolitan Cyril.

The head of the BPC died today at the age of 98 at 03:30 local time / 05: 30 Moscow time / in the capital's hospital Lozenets. The cause of death was heart failure, the Bulgarian Patriarchate said.

Patriarch Maxim (Marin Naydenov Minkov) was born on October 29, 1914 in the village of Oreshak (Lovech Region). At the age of 12, he entered a novice in the Trojan Monastery. In 1935 he successfully graduated from the Sofia Theological Seminary. From 1936 to 1938, Maxim served as a church singer and conducted written office work in the church of the Holy Virgin in Rus. Then in 1938 he entered the theological faculty of Sofia University named after St. Clement of Okrid. In 1941, in the chapel of the Theological Faculty, he accepted the monastic trigger with the name Maxim. In 1950, with the rank of Archimandrite, he was appointed the Primate of the BPC courtyer in Moscow. In 1960, he received the title of Metropolitan of Perekhansky, and in 1971 - the Holy Synod of the BPC chose Maxim Patriarch. In 2004, the then President of Bulgaria Georgy Pyrvanov presented him with the highest state award - the Order of the Remember Planina for the first degree for the merits of preserving the spiritual life of the Bulgarian people, as well as for the wise administration of the Bulgarian Church.