Police block bus carrying UOC parishioners’ children from entering Pochaiv

Police blocked a bus carrying pilgrims from entering Pochaiv. Photo: AI-generated

Police in the Ternopil region blocked a bus carrying UOC pilgrims at the entrance to Pochaiv. Law enforcement officers refused to allow the vehicle, which was carrying 20 children, to proceed to the Pochaiv Lavra and forced the faithful to continue on foot along the highway.

Officers stopped the bus right near the entrance to the city, while other vehicles were allowed to pass freely. The faithful repeatedly asked police to let them through, pointing out that there were 20 children on board. However, the officer on duty refused to listen to the pilgrims.

“Why did you bring these children here?” the police representative asked in response to requests to allow the bus to proceed to the monastery.

As a result, the faithful got off the bus on the highway and continued to the Pochaiv Lavra on foot. The pilgrims stressed that walking along the busy road put the children’s lives at serious risk, but this did not affect the police decision.

As the UOJ reported, the head of the Ancient Kyiv preserve complained that neither the war, Russian missiles, nor the Ukrainian authorities have been able to stop the religious procession participants from reaching Pochaiv.

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