Easter 2026: Nighttime church services have been banned in yet another region of Ukraine
8 April 04:07
This Sunday, April 12, Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians in Ukraine will celebrate Easter. However, there will be no traditional nighttime services in Lviv this year. The reason is the curfew in effect under martial law. According to the press service of the Lviv City Council, festive liturgies will be held in accordance with the curfew, so there will be no nighttime Easter services, reports "Komersant Ukrainian"
What exactly was decided in Lviv
The Lviv City Council has officially announced that there will be no nighttime Easter services in the city. This decision is related to the current curfew, which remains in effect in the city and region during martial law.
In effect, this means that the practice of attending church on the night from Saturday to Sunday, which is customary for many believers, will again be restricted this year. Instead, church services will be adapted to comply with safety regulations.
Why were nighttime services banned?
The key reason is the curfew, which in the Lviv region is in effect daily from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. During this period, it is prohibited to be on the street or in public places without special passes. This is precisely why holding night services in their usual format has become impossible.
City officials explained that wartime conditions are forcing changes to traditional Easter celebrations. This decision is not new for Lviv: the city has taken a similar approach in previous years of full-scale war.
What the City Council said
Yevhen Boiko, head of the Lviv City Council’s executive committee, explained that the holiday services have been adjusted to fit within the curfew hours.
“War conditions are somewhat altering our traditional ways of celebrating Easter. As in previous years, given that a curfew is in effect in the city, there will be no nighttime services. All services will conclude before the curfew on Saturday evening and will resume after the curfew ends on Sunday, starting at 5:00 a.m.”
This means that Lviv residents and visitors to the city need to plan their participation in Easter services in advance, taking into account the restrictions on movement at night.
How Easter services will be held
According to the Lviv City Council, Easter liturgies in the city’s churches will be held in two time slots:
- some services will end before the start of curfew on Saturday evening, while others will begin on Sunday after 5:00 a.m., when the restrictions end.
This means there will be no traditional night service between midnight and dawn. For believers, this means that the blessing of Easter cakes and festive services will take place either on the evening before or early Sunday morning.
Does this apply only to Lviv?
The news report specifically mentions Lviv and the Lviv region, where a curfew remains in effect from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Formally, decisions regarding the format of worship services in specific communities may be made taking into account local security conditions and recommendations from authorities.
Earlier, it was reported that in the Kherson region, additional restrictions were introduced for the period of Easter and memorial days due to the deteriorating security situation. Specifically, this includes a ban on holding religious services in places of worship and the surrounding area during curfew hours, as well as restrictions on visiting cemeteries, unless it involves funeral processions.
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Where to check the schedule of services
The Lviv City Council announced that, for the convenience of residents, it has prepared a schedule of services at the city’s cathedrals for Holy Saturday and Easter. The most reliable way to check it is on the city council’s official resources or directly at the churches you plan to visit.
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
St. George’s Archcathedral of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
(5 St. George Square)
Holy Saturday, April 11
9:00 AM — Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
12:00 PM — Blessing of Easter baskets (every half hour until 9:30 PM)
9:30 PM — Funeral Service, Hierarchical Liturgy
Easter, April 12
7:00 AM — Easter Matins, followed by the Hierarchical Liturgy
11:00 AM — Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
2:00 PM — Easter Services
4:00 PM — Easter Vespers
Garrison Church of Saints Peter and Paul
(11 Teatralna St.)
Holy Saturday, April 11
9:00 AM — Vespers with the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
2:00 PM — 9:00 PM — Blessing of Easter baskets
Easter, April 12
6:00 AM — Matins, Resurrection Matins
7:30 AM — Divine Liturgy. Blessing of Easter baskets
9:00 AM — Divine Liturgy. Blessing of Easter baskets
11:00 AM — Divine Liturgy. Blessing of Easter baskets
1:00 PM — Divine Liturgy. Blessing of the Easter Baskets
3:00 PM — Byzantine Divine Liturgy in English (Blessing of the Easter Baskets)
4:00 PM — Great Vespers
Holy Protection Cathedral of the OCU
(2 Hrushevsky St.)
Holy Saturday, April 11
9:00 AM — Vespers with the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
11:00 AM — 11:00 PM — Blessing of Easter Baskets
9:00 PM — Reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Easter, April 12
6:30 a.m. — Midnight Office
7:00 AM — Easter Matins, celebrated by the bishop
8:00 AM — Hierarchical Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
11:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
5:00 PM — Great Vespers, celebrated by a bishop
Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God of the OCU
(5 Ruska St.)
Holy Saturday, April 11
8:30 AM — Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
2:00 PM — Beginning of the blessing of Easter baskets
9:00 PM — Reading from the Acts of the Apostles
11:30 PM — Midnight Office. Grave Service
Easter, April 12
6:00 AM — Start of the procession. Easter Matins. Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
9:00 AM — Divine Liturgy
3:00 PM — Easter Vespers
Why law enforcement will be on high alert
The Easter holiday period in Ukraine is traditionally associated with large crowds gathering near churches. In the context of the war, this creates additional risks, so law enforcement will be on high alert. Authorities explain this approach by citing the ongoing threat of Russian shelling, even during the holidays.
In the Lviv region, residents are also urged to be vigilant in crowded areas and to follow safety guidelines.
What this means for believers
For believers, the main change is that there will be no nighttime procession to the church on Easter in Lviv this year. Participation in services will have to be scheduled either before midnight on Saturday or after 5 a.m. on Sunday.
In effect, Lviv is maintaining last year’s model for celebrating Easter amid the war: religious traditions are not being canceled, but are being adapted to security realities.
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