A day of faith, food and fellowship

The fifth annual Faith, Food and Fellowship Festival welcomed more than 900 people last year. Church officials hope this year’s attendance will top 1,000 this Saturday.

David Weingrad/Herald

Construction the Holy Trinity’s current building, at 369 Green Ave., in the summer of 1962. Its original building, seen in the background, was damaged in a lightning storm and eventually torn down.

Courtesy of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

Kyra Kraus, far left, Emily Cackett, Macrina Kraus and Maria Krzeminski, top, had some fun with arts and crafts at last year’s festival.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald

The Russian band Barynya will return for the second straight year.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald

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The Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in East Meadow, one of the oldest Orthodox Christian churches on Long Island, will welcome residents of all ages on Saturday to a family-oriented community festival full of activities for children and adults.

The fifth annual Faith, Food and Fellowship Festival, a fundraiser for the 91-year-old church, will also feature live music and vendors. Last year it attracted more than 900 residents, said membership Vice President Mark Vassilakis.

Founded in 1924, Holy Trinity, at 369 Green Ave., just south of Front Street, has been led by the Rev. Martin Kraus since 2007. It was the first Orthodox Christian church established in Nassau or Suffolk County, according to church officials.

Its original building was severely damaged in a lightning storm in the early 1960s, leading to the construction of its current building in 1962. The remains of the original church are buried in the backyard, where it once sat.

The festival was first held in 2009 and 2010, and brought back in 2013 after a two-year hiatus. While its purpose is to raise funds for the church, it also aims to unite community members of all faiths while giving people more insight into the Orthodox faith. “We want people to come in, meet the community, have a meal with us,” said Vassilakis, who has been a member of the church for 15 years. “And just to learn more about Orthodoxy and the community. We hope to break 1,000 [attendees] this year.”

Holy Trinity belongs to the Orthodox Church in America, based in Syosset, which comprises some 700 parishes throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, according to its website. The organization traces its origins in America to the arrival of eight Russian missionaries in Alaska in 1794, who were tasked with bringing the Orthodox Christian faith to natives.

In 1970, the OCA was granted autocephaly by the Russian Orthodox Church, a self-governance that means its head bishops do not report to any higher-ranking bishops. That liberation, Vassilakis said, has allowed the membership of its churches to become more ethnically diverse, which, he added, is something Holy Trinity takes pride in. About 100 families currently belong to the church. Its services are in English.