== Retirement ==
On July 1, 1923, on the pretext of illness and the need for medical treatment, Meletius left Constantinople. On September 20, 1923, under pressure from the Greek government and through the intervention of [[Chrysostomos I (Papadopoulos) of Athens]], Meletius retired as patriarch. This also coincided with the failure of the Greek expedition in Asia Minor, and may have also played a role.
== Later Life ==