Organizers of procession to Bancheny Monastery fined

A religious procession to the Bancheny Monastery. Photo: UOJ

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.

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