When Van Marines was about 8 years old, she used to love to go visiting with her grandmother Vasilou Apostle. The older women would make Greek coffee from finely ground coffee beans and later “read” the grounds left at the bottom of the demitasse cups.

The readings were just for fun, but the memory stuck with Marines, who was one of a trio of women serving Greek coffee Saturday at the Greek Heritage Festival at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Saco.

The event, which began Friday and wound down Sunday, is a fundraiser that helps the 225-family church pay down the mortgage. But it is also much, much more, said Tom Carr of Saco, who is a chief organizer of the event that takes about 11 months to plan.

“It’s more about community,” than fundraising, said Carr.  Now in its 14th year, the festival that features Greek food, music, dancing and tours of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church with its striking iconography draws so many people there’s a shuttle bus that runs from Saco Valley Plaza to the church site on Route 5.

The congregation of St. Demetrios is marking 100 years in 2009, though the Greek community began immigrating to the area prior to 1900, according to church literature.  Immigrants found work in the mills or established their own businesses ”“ small shops and restaurants ”“ and tended to cluster together for security, said church member Zaffie Hadiaris. Then came the formation of St. Demetrios parish, a constancy in the lives of those drawn to worship there. The church was located in Biddeford until 2000, when a new church building was completed in Saco.

On Saturday at noon, Carr estimated there were 50 volunteers working. Over the course of the event, the planning  and the aftermath, about 200 people take part, Carr said.

“The amount of hours cannot be counted,” said the Rev. Basil Arabatsis of the volunteer effort.

It was a family event; babies “swam” in a wading pool filled to the brim with colorful plastic balls, young women danced to rousing Greek music holding the hands of the littler dancers, and the scents of cooking filled the air.  Hungry diners could choose from shish kebab, souzoukakia, spanakopita, or from other exotic-sounding meals, or choose a gyro — seasoned meat topped with vegetables and tzazxiki sauce. The pastry table was not-to-be-missed and servers readily “promised” that the sweet treats were calorie-free. One could buy olive oil, Greek coffee powder, olives and a number of other grocery items from the outside market. During the evening, there was more music and dancing.

The Rev. John Teague, who works at Bath Iron Works throughout the week and assists Arabatsis at St. Demetrios on weekends, gave church tours.

Inside, the  colorful, meticulously crafted iconography on the walls and ceilings illustrates the life of Jesus, from birth to resurrection and ascension, the very crux of Christianity.

Along with welcoming neighbors to sample Greek culture,  the Greek Heritage Festival reconnects members of the Greek community on an annual basis.

The iconography inside the church provides a reconnection of its own.

“It reconnects us to the salient events in the life of Christ,” said Fr. Teague.

— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.