Father Luke Melackrinos Explains Why Fasting is Necessary before Christmas
Father Luke Melackrinos is a spiritual leader at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Paul. Hempstead, NY. He believes in the tradition of “The Nativity Fast” before Christmas celebrations. He says that considering the increasing videos, blogs, and television networks dedicated to food, it is no surprise why people are obsessed with food and avoid fasting. He also sheds light on why he believes that fasting is a way to stop un-necessary thoughts from recurring. He says that instead of spending huge amounts of time reading ingredient labels, we should utilize this time in reading writings of the Church Fathers and Holy Scriptures.
Father Luke Melackrinos describes the resources that are available such as calendars which outline exactly how to fast each day. He also emphasizes on the fact that fasting should be done under proper supervision and consultation with your spiritual father. He is totally dedicated to his services to the God, and his passion towards showing the right path to humanity consistently energizes him to help those who are affected by war or are suffering from any disease. He does not differentiate between people neither by faith nor nationality. As an orthodox Christian, he is completely dedicated to spreading love, selflessness, and forgiveness. He believes in providing education, news, and spiritual practice via a top class learning platform.
Father Luke Melackrinos has initiated various vibrant Christ Centered Ministries at Cathedral of St. Paul, including St. Paul’s Nursery School, Little Angels Program, and Vacation Church School. He also supports many charitable causes. He is a weekly volunteer at the Mary Brennan INN Soup Kitchen, and also established the weekly food run in Hempstead, New York.
Father Luke Melackrinos has more than 30 publications, which are named as “The Epistle”. These publications authored and reviewed by Fr. Luke can be viewed on https://issuu.com/frlukem. He is married to Marusia (Podhurec), the daughter of a Ukrainian Orthodox priest. They have three wonderful kids — Eleni, Magdalena, and Mia.