# Blessing of the New Iconography and the Ordination of Connor Rafferty to the Subdiaconate

- Link: https://nweparchy.ca/2026/10/blessing-of-the-new-iconography-and-the-ordination-of-connor-rafferty-to-the-subdiaconate/
- Published: 2026-10-19T19:17:43-07:00
- Author: Website

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Today, Sunday, October 18, 2026, St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church
in Nanaimo celebrated a truly special and blessed occasion filled with prayer, gratitude,
and joy.

We were honoured to welcome Archbishop and Metropolitan-elect Michael Kwiatkowski,
who presided over the Divine Liturgy and blessed the newly completed iconography
of our beloved church. This beautiful milestone marks the culmination of months 
of prayer, dedication, hard work, and generous support from our parish community
and friends.

Our new iconography has transformed the interior of the church into an even more
beautiful space for worship, inviting everyone to encounter the sacred beauty of
our faith through the rich traditions of iconography.

Another joyful highlight of the day was the ordination of Connor Rafferty to the
Subdiaconate, marking an important step in his journey of service to the Church.

Following the Divine Liturgy and the ceremonies, parishioners and guests gathered
in the parish hall for a festive potluck celebration. The day was also enriched 
by a special video sharing the history of our parish and the story behind the creation
of our new iconography.

⌊❤️⌉⌊❤️⌉ A HEARTFELT THANK YOU

We extend our sincere gratitude to Archbishop and Metropolitan-elect Michael Kwiatkowski
for joining us on this momentous occasion and for blessing our church.

We are deeply thankful to our iconographers [Sergiy Kolodka](https://www.facebook.com/sergiy.kolodka?__cft__[0]=AZiflAz1yg-km5LGoKlJooEYV2cYrRYCnxykNSsbA8qDQpqJPvuinNVB2tCYSd2iIKLva-r6ZeUN8b44jP6AxzI2uqbkdvj5K_WPplITEXqf_ijG9tVoCvkpBe7boeU3AlspJtDs46YjdPqfRcPD7Dm2lt0undYrrmDI8pFq3FCvU5HL87dcgPJTw_bxVyg&__tn__=-]K-R)
and @Pavlo Tsyhanok, everyone who contributed their time and talents, all our volunteers,
and every individual and family who supported this sacred project through prayers
and donations.

Most importantly, we thank God for guiding our parish community throughout this 
journey and allowing us to celebrate this beautiful milestone together.

May our newly blessed iconography inspire generations to come, drawing hearts closer
to Christ and strengthening the faith of our community.

May St. Michael the Archangel continue to protect and guide our parish!

⌊🙏⌉⌊🙏⌉ Glory to God for all things!

Photos: @Володимир Михалишин

With gratitude and love,

Fr [Stepan Vytvytskyi](https://www.facebook.com/stepan.vytvytskiy?__cft__[0]=AZiflAz1yg-km5LGoKlJooEYV2cYrRYCnxykNSsbA8qDQpqJPvuinNVB2tCYSd2iIKLva-r6ZeUN8b44jP6AxzI2uqbkdvj5K_WPplITEXqf_ijG9tVoCvkpBe7boeU3AlspJtDs46YjdPqfRcPD7Dm2lt0undYrrmDI8pFq3FCvU5HL87dcgPJTw_bxVyg&__tn__=-]K-R)

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