In Bukovina, police filed a report against the organizer of a religious procession by members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

The Chernivtsi Regional Police documented a religious procession by members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the convent dedicated to St. John of Sochava in Krasnoilsk and issued an administrative citation to its organizer. The religious procession took place on June 13–14.

According to ZAXID.NET, the procession began on June 13 in the town of Storozhynets. The participants walked about 30 kilometers to the village of Krasnoilsk, where the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s convent dedicated to St. John of Sochava is located. The procession concluded on June 14 with a divine service at the convent.

Karolina Marysheva, a spokesperson for the Chernivtsi Regional Police, told the publication that law enforcement officials did indeed document the fact that the UOC believers had organized the procession. An administrative report was filed against the organizer under Article 185 of the Code of Administrative Offenses—for violating the established procedure for organizing or conducting assemblies, rallies, street processions, and demonstrations. The penalty under this article provides for a fine of 450 hryvnias.

As a reminder, we recently reported that in the city of Kovel, Volyn Oblast, a clergyman of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was brought to court“for organizing and conducting a religious procession without the appropriate permission from local authorities.” The subject of the legal proceedings was the fact that the procession took place on the grounds of a local hospital, where the St. Panteleimon Church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is also located; the aforementioned clergyman serves as its rector.