Biographical data
He was born 26 października 1897 roku w Sinope nad Morzem Czarnym i was synem Eleftheriosa i Catherine Vaportzis. Jego wujem był metropolita Kirillos Mumtzis z Mytilene. Po ukończeniu studiów w ojczyźnie zapisał się do Szkoły Teologicznej w Halki, którą ukończył po rocznej przerwie spowodowanej I wojną światową w 1919 roku pracą „The Election of the Patriarchs of Constantinople in the Byzantine Era”. Został wyświęcony na diakona 16 maja 1918 r., a na starszego w Nowy Rok 1928, otrzymując jednocześnie tytuł archimandryty.

High Priest
On February 8, 1930, he was elected Metropolitan of Philadelphia, and on June 28, 1932, he was elected Metropolitan of Chalcedon.

Po śmierci patriarchy Photiosa II w 1935 r. preferowanym następcą był Maximos, jednak po interwencji władz tureckich jego name was removed from the list of candidates. During World War II he was arrested twice by Turkish authorities, and the second time (January 20, 1943) he was deported to Prussia for several months.

Due to Patriarch Benjamin's advanced age, Maximos replaced him in many administrative tasks and was a permanent member of the Patriarchal Synod.

Patriarch
W lutym 1946 roku zmarł patriarcha Benjamin. Dzień po jego pogrzebie, 20 lutego, Maksymin został wybrany przez Synod Patriarchalny na patriarchę ekumenicznego. Warto zauważyć, że rząd turecki zachował neutralne stanowisko, nie tworząc przeszkód for jego wyboru, jak to miało location poprzednim razem. Wydawało się zresztą, że klimat między władzami tureckimi a patriarchatem uległ zmianie. Wskaźnikiem poprawy sytuacji w tym czasie była wizyta ówczesnego prezydenta Republiki Tureckiej Ismeta Inonu w Szkole Teologicznej w Halki, gdzie został serdecznie przyjęty przez ówczesnego dyrektora, metropolitę Chrysostomosa z Neocaesarei i studentów.

From the very first months of his patriarchate, Maximos was already pulling his weight fire Turkish press because of its contacts with the Russian Orthodox Church, which were interpreted as indirect support for the Soviet Union. American and British diplomats seem to have had similar suspicions. It seems that he did not fully understand the change in relations after the war, and his ill-advised statements left room for interpretation as pro-Russian.

Disease
Toward the end of 1946, the Patriarch began to show symptoms of mild melancholy. After a while, the Patriarch expressed his intention to resign, while information leaked out from Turkish circles that if he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he should be immediately remove and choose a successor. The Greek Foreign Ministry was informed by Greek Ambassador Pericles Skeferis of the patriarch's intentions, and the Greek government recommended waiting.

In order to recover, it was decided to move the patriarch to his summer residence in Halki and then, in May 1947, to Athens. Thus, accompanied by three members of his entourage, he arrived by train from Sikertzi station in Pythio on Evros, from where he was taken by motorcade to Alexandroupolis, where he was received by the bishops of Fthiotida Ambrosios and Attica and Megaridos Iakovos, representing the Church Greece. He and his entourage then boarded the Greek destroyer "Crete" bound for Piraeus, where he set sail at 1:30 p.m. on May 21, 1947, amid the frenzy of flag raising, the hiss of docked ships, the joyous ringing of bells and the cheers of Piraeus residents gathered around the port. There he was received by Alexander Papagos, Archbishop of Damascene, the Cabinet, etc. and then went to Kifissia, where he settled. The treatment that followed is characterized as cursory and disorganized, and from this it is inferred that the Greek government was probably more interested in convincing the patriarch to resign than in his recovery.

Pomimo silnych pogłosek o jego rezygnacji podczas leczenia w Atenach, patriarcha Maksymos powrócił do Konstantynopola w sierpniu tego roku bez podjęcia decyzji o rezygnacji.

Processes
The Patriarch's prolonged illness and intense speculation about his successor created a climate of conflict in Phanar. The Greek government, in consultation with the U.S. government, continued the search for a new "strong personality" with a clear "anti-Russian" orientation who could transform the Patriarchate into an "anti-communist bastion," traits also in line with Turkey's policy. In the end, the Greek government opted for Athenagoras' candidacy, which in time won the support of both the hierarchy and foreign governments. Ankara and the Turkish press supported Athenagoras' proposal, even describing him as a "faithful friend of Turkey."

Reakcje jednak metropolitów patriarchatu, gdy zaczęły być znane posunięcia wspomnianych rządów, były zdecydowane. Na czele reagujących hierarchów, którzy dostrzegli zewnętrzną manipulację patriarchatem, stali metropolici Derki Joachim, Laodycei Maksymos, Neocaesarei Chryzostomos, Pergamum Adamantios, Sardei Maksymos i Chaldii Kirillos, którzy w odpowiedzi na uwagi przedstawicieli Aten o konieczności wymiany patriarchy, z powodu choroby, broniąc niezależności Patriarchatu, replied, że wiele razy w swojej długiej historii Patriarchat stawał w obliczu podobnych sytuacji, które sam zdołał przezwyciężyć, dlatego też nie ma potrzeby, aby czynniki zewnętrzne miały wpływ na wewnętrzne ustalenia.

W tym samym czasie nie ustawały naciski ze strony rządu greckiego i kręgów w Fanarze, aby Maximos ustąpił. W 1948 r., prawdopodobnie chcąc odeprzeć zarzuty o rusofilstwo, odmówił afiliacji Kościoła Czechosłowackiego do Patriarchatu Moskiewskiego, o co prosił arcybiskup praski Savatius.

Resignation and death
He finally resigned on October 18, 1948, after the Greek and Turkish governments voted in favor of Athenagoras' election to the patriarchal throne. It is claimed that his illness was a pretext for forcing his resignation, and the real reason was rumors of his ties to the Russian Church and thus to the Soviet Union.

He retained the title of president of Ephesus, given to him by the Patriarchal Council. In 1971 he fell ill with acute bronchitis and died in Switzerland on New Year's Day 1972. His body was taken to Constantinople, where he was buried with honors in the courtyard of the patriarchal monastery of Zoodochos Pigi Baluklis.

In a letter dated 25/5/1962 (which was later published in the Orthodox Press (Vol. 191-192, Aug. 1 & 15, 1973)), the dethroned Maximos V accused Athenagoras of the deceit with which he deposed him, especially his ecumenical overtures.