On Saturday, April 1, 2023, the 5th Saturday of the Great and Holy Fast dedicated to the Laudations to the  Mother of God, His Grace, Bishop Andriy, Bishop of Toronto and the Eastern Eparchy celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the temple of St. George in St. Catharines, Ontario. His Grace was concelebrated by: Mitred-Archpriest Gregory Mielnik (Parish Rector), Mitred- Archpriest Wasyl Makarenko (Rector St. Vladimir UOC, Hamilton, ON.), Priest Myroslav Shmyhelskyy (Rector of St. Sophia UOC, Waterloo, ON.), Priest Lubomyr Hluchaniuk (cleric of the Eastern Eparchy), Priest Vasyl Kobriy (cleric of St. Volodymyr UOC, Toronto, ON.) and Deacon Kostyantyn Yastreb (cleric of St. Volodymyr UOC, Toronto, ON.). Also present was Archpriest Petro Sabat from Ukraine.

During the festal Divine Liturgy with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion, Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada; His Grace Bishop Andriy ordained parish Subdeacon Yakiv Mielnik to the Holy Diaconate.

Father Deacon Yakiv (Jacob) Mielnik was born in St. Catharines, Ontario. He spent much of his formative years under spiritual formation at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Oshawa, Ontario. Upon moving to Winnipeg for theological studies at St. Andrew’s College (graduating in 2015), he was tonsured a Reader and Subdeacon on November 9, 2008 by His Eminence Metropolitan John (of blessed memory), Archbishop of Winnipeg and the Central Eparchy, Metropolitan of Canada, Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Subdeacon Yakiv served as Subdeacon to His Eminence Metropolitan John and later His Eminence Metropolitan Yurij. As a Subdeacon, Yakiv was actively involved in organizing various liturgical services during Archpastoral Anniversaries, SOBORS and the Enthronement of Metropolitan Yurij. In 2016, he returned to St. Catharines, where he served the parish of St. George in various capacities; Website Administrator and general graphic design work for the parish, cantoring services, liturgical music preparation, etc. In 2017 He authored and published ‘The Acolyte- A Manual for Altar Servers’ on behalf of the Eastern Eparchy.

Following the conclusion of the Divine liturgy, all in attendance enjoyed a Lenten meal in the parish hall.

Many years to the newly ordained Deacon Yakiv! AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!