Ignoring the ban, UOC-MP believers went on a religious procession to Pochaiv

In the Khmelnytsky region, ignoring the ban on holding mass religious events, almost 2,000 believers of the UOC-MP went in a procession to the Pochaev Lavra. This was announced by the first deputy head of Khmelnytsky OVA Sergey Tyurin on Facebook.

“This weekend, despite the decision of the Regional Defense Council to ban mass religious events, including marches and demonstrations, about 2,000 believers went to the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra in a procession. This event was caused a significant negative public outcry in the region, as evidenced by the many angry publications of the region’s residents on social networks,” he wrote.

According to the official, the IVA is monitoring the situation that has developed in connection with this event and is taking all possible measures to avoid possible provocations and conflicts that could be used by Russian propagandists.

Law enforcement officers ensure the protection of public order around the clock, and also pay attention to traffic safety on the routes of movement participants. In addition, measures are being taken to reduce the number of pilgrims, thanks to which the number of participants is many times lower than in previous years, where more than 20,000 believers could join the procession.

“Separately, I would like to inform you that law enforcement officers immediately responded to information about a participant in the procession who was found with a St. George ribbon. The prohibited symbols were confiscated by police officers, and a protocol on administrative violations was drawn up against the believer,” Tyurin added.

Let us recall that the previous Metropolitan of Chernivtsi and Bukovina of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Daniil, in an address to the faithful, was angry that the authorities forbade pilgrimages, “invention” of war.