Ukrainian media outlets attempt to discredit the UOC pilgrimage to Pochaiv

Ukrainian media outlets are attempting to discredit the pilgrimage of believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which departed from the Volyn region to the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra. Secular Internet resources are copying the same news item word for word, stating that the procession is allegedly causing a “mixed reaction among the local population.” The media does not specify what kind of “mixed reaction” this is. Websites in the Volyn and Ternopil regions are writing about this.

“The participants of the procession are walking on foot. Against the backdrop of social tension in connection with the activities of the UOC-MP in Ukraine, this procession is causing mixed reactions among the local population,” – says a typical report published on a large number of regional resources.

It is noteworthy that the media do not indicate how the residents of the settlements through which the UOC believers are passing with the procession are reacting. It should be noted that in previous years, it was the regional authorities that provoked incidents, preventing the UOC’s Cross Processions from reaching the Pochaiv Lavra. However, this year, due to the fact that city and village councils are not interfering with the Cross Procession, everything is proceeding quite peacefully.

We previously reported that despite the ban on mass events in Ukraine due to the hostilities, the Israeli Ministry of Transport is again preparing a mass pilgrimage of Hasidim to the Ukrainian city of Uman to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. This time, the events will take place on September 22-24, 2025. It is noteworthy that due to the closure of Ukraine’s airspace, Jewish pilgrims will enter Ukraine through neighboring countries — Moldova, Romania, and Poland.