Patriarch Meletios Metaxakis was an important personality of the 20th century and a charismatic Hierarch. He was born in the village of Parsas in Lassithi, Crete. In 1889 he attended the Seminary of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem. He was ordained deacon in 1891 and continued his studies. In 1898 he was sent on important missions to Antioch, Syria. In 1903-09 he was chosen as Arch-secretary. Again representative of the Patriarch of Jerusalem in Alexandria, Constantinople and Russia (1906) , Cyprus 1907 etc. In 1910 he was elected Bishop of Kition Cyprus. In 1918 he was elected Metropolitan of Athens. Metaxakis had an unquenchable passion for creation, he was organizational and had a great interest in the political and national issues of the time, which were in any case numerous.

By royal decree he is removed from the throne of Athens and is forced to flee to America (2/1921). He organizes the expatriate Greeks. However, he receives the news of his election to the Patriarchal Throne of Constantinople on 25.11.1921. His enthronement coincides with the glorious successes and hopeful days of the Asia Minor campaign (1/1922). A few months later, however, the great catastrophe occurred. His stay was impossible, so he left Constantinople on 10.7.1923 and took refuge on Mount Athos and resigned.

The work of restructuring (inclusion of new Metropolises in the Patriarchate such as Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Finland and other communities of the diaspora, creation of new ones such as Australia, Thyatira, etc.) . Change of calendar and revision of all administrative jurisdiction were among his works. In 1926 he has retired to Kifissia when he was elected Patriarch of Alexandria. Again he would zealously reform the relations between the Patriarchate and the African communities, issuing decrees and regulations to facilitate the faithful (divorces, marriages, financial management, etc.). His contribution has been magnificent especially for Greater Hellenism .