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Meletius Metaxakis

Meletius as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (1923)

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria
In office	1926–1935
Predecessor	Photius
Successor	Nicholas V
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
In office	8 December 1921 – 20 September 1923
Predecessor	Germanus V
Successor	Gregory VII
Archbishop of Athens and All Greece
In office	1918–1920
Predecessor	Theocletus I
Successor	Theocletus I

Personal details

Born

Emmanuel Metaxakis

21 September 1871

Parsas, Ierapetra, Ottoman Crete

Died

28 July 1935 (aged 63)
Alexandria,^[1] Kingdom of Egypt

Meletius (Greek: Μελέτιος; secular name Emmanuel Metaxakis, Ἐμμανουήλ Μεταξάκης; 21 September 1871 – 28 July 1935), was primate of the Church of Greece from 1918 to 1920 as Meletius III, after which he was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople as Meletius IV from 1921 to 1923 and Greek Patriarch of Alexandria as Meletius II from 1926 to 1935.^[2] He is the only man in the history of the Eastern Orthodox Church to serve successively as the senior bishop of three autocephalous churches.

Life

Early life

Emmanuel Metaxakis was born in Crete, in the village of Christos, now part of the Ierapetra municipality. His father was a stock breeder, and his maternal uncle was the village priest.^[a] From 1889 to 1891, Emmanuel studied at the Patriarchal School of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre. In 1891, he became the hegumen of the Monastery of Bethlehem, and the Archbishop of Mount Tabor, Spyridon, ordained him a deacon with the name of Meletius. He resumed his studies at the Theological School of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross at Jerusalem, when the school opened in 1893. He graduated in 1893 primi ordinis.

In 1903, he was appointed Chancellor of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and administered the reorganization of the patriarchal printing office and the editing of the periodical New Zion in 1904. He founded new schools and reorganized the existing ones, while he succeeded in granting diplomas to graduates of the Theological School of Jerusalem as well, though he did not ordain any priests. He confronted the Duchovnaye Missia (Spiritual Mission) a Russian organization which practiced antihellenic propaganda; founded the Practical School in Joppa; and increased the circulation of academic books. In 1907 he took part, as representative of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in a meeting with the representative of the throne of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Basil, the Metropolitan bishop of Anchialos, and the Patriarch of Alexandria, Photius, concerning issues with the Archbishop of Cyprus. The ruling which at last decided the issue was based on a document which had been drafted by Metaxakis and which had been published in the gazette of the Cypriot government. They published that document along with various dialogues that he that time with the Patriarch Photius of Alexandria in two publications of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Ekklisiastikos Faros (Greek: Εκκλησιαστικός Φάρος, "Ecclesiastical Lighthouse")^[b] and Pantainos (Greek: Πανταἰνος).^[c]

Metropolitan of Kition

In 1910, he was elected Metropolitan of Kition in the Church of Cyprus. He organized the Statutory Charter of the Church of Cyprus and founded the periodical Ekklesiastikos Kirix ("Ecclesiastical Herald"), which he continued to publish later on in Athens and in New York. He established the Pancypriot Seminary in October of 1910, and the Commercial High School of Larnaca. In 1912-1913 he travelled to Athens where he collaborated with Ion Dragoumis and a commission of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explore fundraising for issues which had arisen with the return of territories under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to Greece, Serbia, and Bulgaria while drafting a report on the return. Ιn articles in Ekklisiastiki Kirika in 1914 he would be opposed in every proposal put forward by the metropolitans of the newly-returned territories, for reasons of ethnic politics: they feared the diminution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in which he fulfilled the role of ethnarch.^[4]^[d]

Leadership of autocephalous churches

He was Metropolitan bishop of the Church of Greece in Athens (1918–20) as Meletius III, after which he was elected Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople under the name Meletius IV from 1921 to 1923.^[5] He served as Greek Patriarch of Alexandria under the episcopal name Meletius II from 1926 to 1935.

A known supporter of Greek prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos, he served as bishop in Cyprus, until he was elected Archbishop of Athens following the abdication of Constantine I of Greece, replacing Archbishop Theocletus I, a known royalist. Two years later, King Constantine I was restored to the throne, Archbishop Meletius was ousted, and former archbishop Theocletus I was reinstated. In 1921 during the Occupation of Constantinople he was elected Ecumenical Patriarch. He resigned in 1923 following the defeat of the Hellenic army in the Greco-Turkish War.

Some years later he was elected Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria. He died in 1935.

Notes

^ Η παιδική ηλικία του Πατριάρχη Μελετίου. Με το κοσμικό όνομα Εμμανουήλ ο Μελέτιος ήταν πρωτότοκος γιος του Νικολάου Μεταξάκη και της Μαρίας το γένος Αντωνίου Προβατάκη και γεννήθηκε στο χωριό Παρσάς της Κοινότητας Χριστού της επαρχίας "Ιεραπέτρας του νομού Λασιθίου Κρήτης, στις 21 Σεπτεμβρίου του έτους 1871. Η μητέρα του Μαρία Προβατάκη, αδελφή του παπά Στεφάνου, γεννήθηκε στο χωριό Χριστός. Ο πατέρας του Νικόλαος Μεταξάκης μετερχόμενος το επάγγελμα του γεωργού και του κτηνοτρόφου ήταν εριστικός και φιλόδικος όπως φανερώνεται από επιστολές και του ίδιου του Μελετίου που θα παρουσιάσουμε παρακάτω. Ο παππούς του Μελετίου ονομαζόταν Γεώργιος Δαγαλάκης και επειδή ασχολούνταν με την μεταξουργία επονομά Κρήτης. Αποκτά 11 παιδιά - 3 στον Παρσά και 8 στις. [Regarding the childhood of Meletios: "With the secular name of Emmanuel, Meletius was the first son of Nicholas Metaxakis, and Maria, a descendant of Antonios Provatakis, and was born in the village of Parsas, in the commune of Christos, in the province of Ierapetra, in the prefecture of Lasithi, Crete, on September 21, 1871. His mother, Mary Provatakis, the sister of the priest Stephen, was born in the village of Christos. His father, Nicholas Metaxakis, a farmer and stock breeder by profession, had moved there and was bad-tempered and quarrelsome, as depicted in the letters of Meletius himself which we will submit further down. Meletius's grandfather was named George Dagalakis because he was engaged in the eponymous silk industry of Crete; he had eleven children, three in Parsas, and eight elsewhere"].^[3]^: 403
^ A likely reference to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, in the same vein as the reference to the Alexandrian theologian Pantaenus
^ Latinised as Pantaenus
^ Greece, along with Serbia and Bulgaria, gained a number of territories from the Ottoman Empire after the Balkan Wars and the annexation of the Cretan State that had remained part of the jurisdiction of the patriarchate when their national autocephalous churches were formed in the nineteenth century. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church and Serbian Orthodox Church are now autocephalous patriarchates, but at the time (in all, from 1872-1945) the Bulgarian Exarchate that was in formal schism with Constantinople over jurisdictional issues; while the Serbian church was divided into the Patriarchate of Karlovci, the Metropolitanate of Belgrade, and Metropolitanate of Montenegro, roughly corresponding to the borders of the Kingdom of Serbia, Kingdom of Montenegro and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. See the above linked articles for more information. To this day, thirty-six of the eighty-one dioceses of the Church of Greece in the "New Lands" while represented in the synod of the Church of Greece and administered as part of it "in stewardship", are yet nominally under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, acknowledging the patriarch as their primate (bishop) in the diptychs and retain right of appeal to him in disputes with other bishops.

References

External links

Bishops of Byzantium and Patriarchs of Constantinople

Bishops of Byzantium and Patriarchs of Constantinople
Bishops of Byzantium (Roman period, 38–330 AD)	Andrew Stachys Onesimus Polycarpus I Plutarch Sedecion Diogenes Eleutherius Felix Polycarpus II Athenodorus Euzois Laurence Alypius Pertinax Olympianus Marcus I Philadelphus Cyriacus I Castinus Eugenius I Titus Dometius Rufinus Probus Metrophanes Alexander
Archbishops of Constantinople (Roman period, 330–451 AD)	Alexander Paul I Eusebius Macedonius I Eudoxius Evagrius Demophilus Maximus I Gregory I Nectarius John I Chrysostom Arsacius Atticus Sisinnius I Nestorius Maximianus Proclus Flavian Anatolius
Patriarchs of Constantinople (Byzantine period, 451–1453 AD)	Anatolius Gennadius I Acacius Fravitta Euphemius Macedonius II Timothy I John II Epiphanius Anthimus I Menas Eutychius John III John IV Cyriacus II Thomas I Sergius I Pyrrhus Paul II Peter Thomas II John V Constantine I Theodore I George I Paul III Callinicus I Cyrus John VI Germanus I Anastasius Constantine II Nicetas I Paul IV Tarasius Nicephorus I Theodotus I Antony I John VII Methodius I Ignatios Photios I Stephen I Antony II Nicholas I Εuthymius I Stephen II Tryphon Theophylact Polyeuctus Βasil I Αntony III Nicholas II Sisinnius II Sergius II Eustathius Alexius Michael I Constantine III John VIII Cosmas I Eustratius Nicholas III John IX Leo Michael II Cosmas II Nicholas IV Theodotus II Neophytus I Constantine IV Luke Michael III Chariton Theodosius I Basil II Nicetas II Leontius Dositheus George II John X Michael IV^† Theodore II^† Maximus II^† Μanuel I^† Germanus II^† Methodius II^† Manuel II^† Arsenius^† Nicephorus II^† Germanus III Joseph I John XI Gregory II Athanasius I John XII Nephon I John XIII Gerasimus I Isaias John XIV Isidore I Callistus I Philotheus Macarius Nilus Antony IV Callistus II Matthew I Euthymius II Joseph II Metrophanes II Gregory III Athanasius II
Patriarchs of Constantinople (Ottoman period, 1453–1923 AD)	Gennadius II Isidore II Joasaph I Sophronius I Mark II Symeon I Dionysius I Raphael I Maximus III Nephon II Maximus IV Joachim I Pachomius I Theoleptus I Jeremias I Joannicius I Dionysius II Joasaph II Metrophanes III Jeremias II Pachomius II Theoleptus II Matthew II Gabriel I Theophanes I Meletius I Neophytus II Raphael II Cyril I Timothy II Gregory IV Anthimus II Cyril II Athanasius III Neophytus III Parthenius I Parthenius II Joannicius II Cyril III Paisius I Parthenius III Gabriel II Parthenius IV Dionysius III Clement Methodius III Dionysius IV Gerasimus II Athanasius IV James Callinicus II Neophytus IV Gabriel III Neophytus V Cyprianus Athanasius V Cyril IV Cosmas III Jeremias III (Callinicus III) Paisius II Seraphim I Neophytus VI Cyril V Callinicus IV (III) Seraphim II Joannicius III Samuel Meletius II Theodosius II Sophronius II Gabriel IV Procopius Neophytus VII Gerasimus III Gregory V Callinicus V (IV) Jeremias IV Cyril VI Eugenius II Anthimus III Chrysanthus Agathangelus Constantius I Constantius II Gregory VI Anthimus IV Anthimus V Germanus IV Meletius III Anthimus VI Cyril VII Joachim II Sophronius III Joachim III Joachim IV Dionysius V Neophytus VIII Anthimus VII Constantine V Germanus V Meletius IV
Patriarchs of Constantinople (Turkish period, since 1923 AD)	Gregory VII Constantine VI Basil III Photius II Benjamin Maximus V Athenagoras Demetrius Bartholomew
^† in exile at Nicaea Christianity portal

Bishops and Archbishops of Athens

Bishops and Archbishops of Athens
Bishops of Athens	Hierotheos the Thesmothete Dionysius the Areopagite Narcissus Publius Quadratus Leonidas Olympius Pistus Clematius Modestus Athanasius I Anatolius John I John II Contias Theocharistus Marinus John III
Metropolitans of Athens	Gregorius I Adamantius John IV Theodosius Hypatius Demetrius I Germanus I Demetrius II Gabriel I Gregorius II Cosmas Nicetas I Sabbas I Anastasius Sabbas II George I Nicetas II Constantine Philip Theodegius Michael I Leo I Leo II John V Nicetas III Nicephorus Gerasimus George II Bourtzes Nicholas Hagiotheodorites Michael II Theophylactus George III George IV Michael Choniates Meletius I^§ Elias^§ Neophytus I^§ Anthimus I^§ Nicodemus^§ Dorotheus I of Athens Macarius I Gerbasius Phantinus Theodorus Isidore Dorotheus II Anthimus II Neophytus II Laurentius Callistus Sophronius I Nicanor Theophanes I Neophytus III Samuel Nathanael Anthimus III Cyril I Metrophanes Theophanes II Sophronius II Daniel Anthimus IV Jacob I Athanasius II Macarius II Anthimus V Cyril II Meletius II Jacob II Zacharias Anthimus VI Bartholomew Neophytus IV Bartholomew Gabriel II Benedict Athanasius III Benedict Athanasius III Gregorius III Dionysius II Gregory IV Anthimus VII Neophytus V Michael IV Theophilus Anthonius of Athens Procopius I Germanus II Procopius II Theocletus I of Athens Meletius III Theocletus I
Archbishops of Athens and All Greece	Chrysostomos I Damaskinos Chrysanthus Damaskinos Spyridon Dorotheus III Theocletus II Jacob III Chrysostomos II Ieronymos I Seraphim Christodoulos Ieronymos II
^§: Titular due to the Latin rule over Athens

Patriarchs of Alexandria

Patriarchs of Alexandria
Patriarchs prior to the Chalcedonian schism (43–451)	Mark I the Evangelist (founder) Anianus Avilius Kedronos Primus Justus Eumenius Markianos* Celadion Agrippinus Julian Demetrius I Heraclas Dionysius Maximus Theonas Peter I Achillas Alexander I Athanasius I Peter II Timothy I Theophilus I Cyril I Dioscorus I
Coptic Orthodox Popes and Patriarchs (451–present)	Timothy II Peter III Athanasius II John I John II Dioscorus II Timothy III Theodosius I Peter IV Damian Anastasius Andronicus Benjamin I Agathon John III Isaac Simeon I Alexander II Cosmas I Theodore I Michael I Mina I John IV Mark II James Simeon II Joseph I Michael II Cosmas II Shenouda I Michael III Gabriel I Cosmas III Macarius I Theophilus II Mina II Abraham Philotheos Zacharias Shenouda II Christodoulos Cyril II Michael IV Macarius II Gabriel II Michael V John V Mark III John VI Cyril III Athanasius III John VII Gabriel III John VII Theodosius III John VIII John IX Benjamin II Peter V Mark IV John X Gabriel IV Matthew I Gabriel V John XI Matthew II Gabriel VI Michael VI John XII John XIII Gabriel VII John XIV Gabriel VIII Mark V John XV Matthew III Mark VI Matthew IV John XVI Peter VI John XVII Mark VII John XVIII Mark VIII Peter VII Cyril IV Demetrius II Cyril V John XIX Macarius III Joseph II Cyril VI Shenouda III Tawadros II (current)
Greek Orthodox Popes and Patriarchs (451–present)	Proterius Timothy II Timothy III John I Peter III Athanasius II John II John III Dioscorus II Timothy IV Theodosius I Gaianus Paul Zoilus Apollinarius John IV Eulogius Theodore I John V George I Cyrus Peter IV Peter V Peter VI Cosmas I Politianus Eustatius Christopher I Sophronius I Michael I Michael II Christodoulos Eutychius Sophronius II Isaac Job Elias I Arsenius Theophilus II George II Leontius Alexander II John VI Cyril II Sabbas Sophronius III Elias II Eleutherius Mark III* Nicholas I Gregory I Nicholas II Athanasius III Gregory II Gregory III Niphon Mark IV Nicholas III Gregory IV Nicholas IV Athanasius IV Mark V Philotheus Mark VI Gregory V Joachim I Silvester Meletius I Pegas Cyril III Gerasimus I Metrophanes Nicephorus Joannicius Paisius Parthenius I Gerasimus II Samuel Cosmas II Cosmas III Matthew Cyprian Gerasimus III Parthenius II Theophilus III Hierotheus I Artemius Hierotheus II Callinicus Jacob Nicanor Nilus Sophronius IV Photius Meletius II Nicholas V Christopher II Nicholas VI Parthenius III Peter VII Theodore II (current)
Latin Catholic (1276–1954)	Atanasio (Athanasius) Egidio da Ferrara (Giles) ?Humbert II, Dauphin of Vienne Juan (John) Guillaume de Chanac Arnaud Bernard du Pouget (Arnaldo Bernardi) uncanonical Jean de Cardaillac Pietro Amely di Brunac ? Johannes Walteri von Sinten uncanonical Simon of Cramaud Pietro Amely di Brunac Leonardo Dolfin Ugo Roberti Pietro Amaury di Lordat Lancelotus de Navarra Giovanni Contarini Pietro Vitalis di Mauléon Giovanni Vitelleschi Marco Condulmer Jean d'Harcourt Arnaldo Rogerii de Palas Pedro de Urrea Pedro González de Mendoza Diego Hurtado de Mendoza Alonso de Fonseca y Acevedo Bernardino Carafa Cesare Riario Guido Ascanio Sforza di Santa Fiora Ottaviano Maria Sforza Julius Gonzaga Cristoforo Guidalotti Ciocchi del Monte Jacques Cortès Tommaso Alessandro Riario Enrico Caetani Giovanni Battista Albani Camillo Caetani Séraphin Olivier-Razali Alessandro di Sangro Honoratus Caetani Federico Borromeo Allesandro Crescenzi Aloysius Bevilacqua Petrus Draghi Bartoli Gregorio Giuseppe Gaetani de Aragonia Carlo Ambrosio Mezzabarba Filippo Carlo Spada Girolamo Crispi Giuseppe Antonio Davanzati Lodovico Agnello Anastasi Francisco Mattei Augustus Foscolo Paolo Angelo Ballerini Domenico Marinangeli Paolo de Huyn Luca Ermenegildo Pasetto
Melkite Catholic (1724–present)	Cyril VI Tanas Athanasius IV Jawhar Maximos II Hakim Theodosius V Dahan Athanasius IV Jawhar Cyril VII Siaj Agapius II Matar Ignatius IV Sarrouf Athanasius V Matar Macarius IV Tawil Ignatius V Qattan Maximos III Mazloum Clement Bahouth Gregory II Youssef-Sayur Peter IV Geraigiry Cyril VIII Geha Demetrius I Qadi Cyril IX Moghabghab Maximos IV Sayegh Maximos V Hakim Gregory III Laham Youssef I Absi
Coptic Catholic (1824–present)	Maximos Jouwed Kyrillos Makarios Stéphanos I Sidarouss Stéphanos II Ghattas Antonios I Naguib Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak
*Markianos is considered Mark II on the Greek side of the subsequent schism, hence this numbering of Mark III. Category Commons

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