Zbarazh City Council bans UOC pilgrimage procession through the town

Pilgrimage procession from Kamianets-Podilskyi to the Pochaiv Lavra. Photo: Pershyi Kozatskyi

On August 22, 2025, the executive committee of the Zbarazh City Council in Ternopil region adopted a decision prohibiting the UOC pilgrimage procession from passing through the territory of the city territorial community.

The ban applies to August 26–27, 2025, the dates when pilgrims were scheduled to pass through Zbarazh.

According to Decision No. 231, the city authorities appealed to the Ternopil Regional Military Administration and the Main Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine in Ternopil region with the corresponding request.

The document was signed by the mayor of Zbarazh, Roman Polikrovskyi.

The text states that the ban was adopted “guided by the Law of Ukraine ‘On Local Self-Government in Ukraine’,” without indicating any reasons.

Earlier, UOJ reported that police blocked about 100 cars carrying participants of the UOC pilgrimage procession heading to Pochaiv at the entrance to Ternopil region.

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