Organizers of procession to Bancheny Monastery fined
A religious procession to the Bancheny Monastery. Photo: UOJ
Chernivtsi region police fined the organizers of the annual procession to Bancheny Monastery on May 20-21, 2026, reports "Zakhid.net".
The religious procession went from Chernivtsi to Bancheny Monastery through the villages of Ostrytsia and Tsuren. Administrative protocols were drawn up against the organizers under Article 185 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses – for violation of the procedure for organizing assemblies and manifestations. The fine under this article is 450 hryvnias.
Press secretary of Chernivtsi region police Karolina Marysheva explained that law enforcement officers "documented the fact of organizing a religious procession." According to the police, in Ukraine under martial law conditions, conducting processions is restricted.
As the UOJ reported, thousands of people walked in procession to the Bancheny Monastery. The annual pilgrimage to monastery is one of the most massive in the Chernivtsi region. The UOC has repeatedly conducted processions during wartime despite imposed restrictions.
Read also
Ostapenko: Everyone in UCCRO feels fine except the “FSB UOC”
The director of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve called the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches “a wonderful organization.”
Khmelnytskyi Eparchy donates funds for treatment of 12-year-old girl
UOC believers raised UAH 20,000 for Anastasiia Mamchur as part of an eparchial charity campaign.
Shevchuk: We had to convince world UOC ban does not violate religious freedom
The UGCC head claims that by banning the UOC, the state is not violating religious freedom but merely protecting the Church’s faithful from Moscow propaganda.
Lavra reserve head estimates damage to Dormition Cathedral at €15 million
Maksym Ostapenko said restoring the Dormition Cathedral would take at least a couple of years and require major funding.
DESS official says state should not govern the Church
A DESS official called for cooperation between the state and the Church for the benefit of citizens.
Poltava court upholds mobilization of Protestant pastor
A court in the Poltava region ruled that a prior criminal conviction and religious beliefs do not exempt a person from military service.