Police are investigating the legality of a religious procession to the Pochaiv Lavra

Law enforcement officials are investigating the legality of the religious procession and pilgrimage held on the grounds of the Pochaiv Lavra to mark the feast day of the Pochaiv Icon of the Mother of God.

According to Vasyl Ilchyshyn, director of the Kremenets-Pochaiv Reserve, the organizers did not seek approval for the event from the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, which constitutes a violation of the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of Cultural Heritage.” 

The Ternopil Regional State Administration also confirmed that it had not received any applications regarding a procession or mass gatherings on the grounds of the historic site. Following a request from the reserve, the police have documented the incident and are conducting an investigation.

This was reported to Ukrinform by the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Ternopil region.

In the village of Solovychi in the Volyn region, a religious procession of several thousand believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) was recorded as they made their way to the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra in the Ternopil region. A video recording of the event was released by Viktor Permyakov, a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war and a historian.

The State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience has completed an investigation into the possible affiliation of the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra with a foreign religious organization whose activities are banned in Ukraine.

The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience has given the Pochaiv Lavra of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church 30 days to comply with an order to rectify violations of legislation on freedom of conscience and religious organizations.