A piece of disinformation is disseminated in social networks about the Easter liturgy in Kyiv (link 1 and link 2). According to one of the publications, the Easter liturgy was banned in Kyiv. The Government of Ukraine is referred as fighting against religion and God in the comments section.
In fact, on 11 April 2023 Kyiv city administration published a statement about the rules for celebrating Easter in wartime. As stated by the Deputy Head of City Administration, Hanna Starostenko, city authorities approached religious leaders with a request to limit mass gatherings during the religious services and instead ensure a broadcast of the liturgy through the internet and TV as widely as possible. This restriction is related to the curfew in Kyiv which prohibits movement in the city from 00:00 to 05:00 for the safety of citizens.
Hanna Starostenko also noted: “Ukraine continues to live in wartime. Therefore, we have to act in line with the recommendations of our military and avoid mass gatherings to protect each other. There is an active curfew in Kyiv from 00:00 to 05:00.”
According to Kyiv’s military administration, only the clergy will be allowed to be in church during the curfew and there will be online broadcasts for the population. After the curfew, population will have possibility to come to churches.
Metropolitan Bishop of Kyiv and Ukraine, Epiphanius I of Ukraine, stated the following about the curfew during the Easter holiday in Kyiv: “This causes a number of problems because people at that time are not allowed to move. Prayers will be held at the Lavra Cathedral but most likely in the morning when the curfew ends.”
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