On July 10-11, 2021 in the city of Konotop, Sumy region, celebrations continued on the occasion of the anniversary of the Battle of Konotop in 1659, where the head of the UOC-KP Filaret was invited. As reported on the page “For the Ukrainian Church” on Facebook, therefore, the OCU refused to participate in the events.

“Why did Epiphanius not at least send his representatives? Could the local bishop of the OCU, Methodius, with the clergy pray together with the “honorary patriarch”? Local authorities invited. And Methodius, like Epiphany, was ordained bishop by Filaret. Both were called father.

From sources in the UOC of the Kyiv Patriarchate and in the local authorities, we learned the following: it was assumed that Filaret would only be on the first day of celebrations in Shapovalovka … but representatives of the OCU categorically refused to participate in the celebration of the anniversary of the Konotop battle with their “honorary patriarch.”

Then the local authorities hoped to involve the OCU in the events on the second day – already in the city of Konotop. But as they say, not only the Sumy OCU bishop Methodius, but also the Konotop dean refused to go there. With their unexpected, categorical, ultimatum (as they say, even with elements of rudeness), the representatives of the OCU almost disrupted the celebration,” the message says.