Medal for the 25th anniversary of Maxim V's stay on the Patriarchal throne

The original unbearable medal is in very good condition. Heavy metal, nickel plating. The diameter is 50 mm. In the original case. Guarantee of authenticity. A rarity.

Maxim V (born George Selim Hakim; May 18, 1908 — June 19, 2001) was the Patriarch of the Melkite Catholic Church from November 22, 1967 to November 29, 2000. The official title is His Beatitude the Patriarch of Antioch. He headed the Melkite Church for 33 years, which were marked by a number of turbulent events in the Middle East, the traditional territory of the Melkite Church, and the rapid growth of Melkite parishes in the diaspora.

He was born on May 18, 1908 in Egyptian Tanta in a Christian family of immigrants from Aleppo. He received his education at the Jesuit College of the Holy Family in Cairo, and continued his studies at St. Anne's Seminary in Jerusalem. After graduation, he was ordained a priest on July 20, 1930 by the Melkite Archbishop (later Patriarch) Maxim Sayeh. In 1931, he returned to Egypt.

On July 13, 1943, he was consecrated bishop by Patriarch Kirill IX Mohabhab, appointed head of the Archdiocese of Akka, Haifa, Nazareth and all of Galilee. After the end of the 1947-1949 Arab-Israeli War, several hundred thousand Palestinians fled the territories under the control of the Israeli army (see Nakba, Palestinian refugees). Archbishop Hakim has made significant efforts to help refugees. He also negotiated with the Israeli government, as a result of which several thousand Christian refugees of Arab origin returned to their homes in Israel[1]. As one of the Fathers of the Council, Archbishop Hakim participated in all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council.

On November 22, 1967, at the next Holy Synod, Archbishop Hakim was elected Patriarch of the Melkite Catholic Church, and took the name Maxim. In 1975, a civil war broke out in Lebanon between Muslims and Christians. Patriarch Maxim condemned Muslim violence against Melkites, and in 1982 he negotiated with Druze leader Walid Jumbalat to ensure the safety of Christian villages in Mountainous Lebanon. He managed to establish more trusting relations with Syria than the Maronite leaders, but despite this, an unsuccessful attempt was made on Patriarch Maxim in 1990.

The Lebanese Civil war caused a massive emigration of Melkite Christians from Lebanon. Patriarch Maxim paid great attention to the arrangement and organization of Melkite parishes in exile. Under him, Melkite dioceses were established in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Argentina and Mexico. In 1986, he performed divine services at the Russian Catholic Parish of St. Michael the Archangel in Manhattan in New York City.

On November 29, 2000, Maxim V resigned from the post of Patriarch due to his advanced age (he turned 92) and poor health. On December 5, 2000, the Episcopal Synod of the Melkite Church elected Gregory III Laham as the new Patriarch of the Melkite Catholic Church. On June 29, 2001, Maxime V died in Beirut.