Name Meletius of | ||
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Died July 28, 1935, Alexandria, Egypt | ||
Patriarch Meletius (Greek: Μελέτιος, secular name Emmanuel Metaxakis; (21 September 1871 – 28 July 1935) was Greek Patriarch of Alexandria under the episcopal name Meletius II from 1926 to 1935.
He was Metropolitan bishop of the Church of Greece in Athens (1918–20), after which he was elected Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople under the name Meletius IV from 1921 to 1923. He served as Greek Patriarch of Alexandria under the episcopal name Meletius II from 1926 to 1935.
He was the only Eastern Orthodox hierarch in history to serve successively as the senior bishop of three autocephalous churches.
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 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.
Patriarch Meletius was a Freemason of the 33rd degree, a member of the Armonia lodge.