In Rivne region, "activists" barricade road for cross procession to Pochaiv

In order to hinder the procession from the Volyn region to the Pochaiv Lavra, opponents of the UOC built barricades of wooden pallets on the road near the village of Demidivka, Rivne region, reports the press service of the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC.

It notes that the "activists" have enlisted the support of the local authorities: the Executive Committee of the Settlement Council banned processions through the territory of the Demidivka community.

"Local government bodies do not have such authority," commented Archpriest Vasily Nachev, head of the Legal Department of the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC. “Many questions arise: Who authorised the barricading of roads in wartime and were the law enforcement bodies notified of these actions?".

The processionists said that among the people who blocked the road were "priests" of the OCU and relatives of soldiers, but none of the "activists" showed respect for the mothers, wives and sisters of the defenders of Ukraine who were walking in the procession.

The press service of the eparchy noted that "despite the pressure and obstacles, the procession from Volyn is already in the Dormition Pochaiv Lavra, the processionists pray for all the offenders and wish them a speedy spiritual healing."

As reported, Khmelnytskyi and Vinnytsia region authorities banned traditional religious processions of UOC believers to the Pochaiv Lavra.