Metropolitan Elisey of Izyum and Kupyansk said that his diocese remains in the charter that was before May 27, and will continue to commemorate Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

“I don’t want to break the age-old unity with the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and as the ruling bishop of the Izyum diocese, I made a decision — for I was given permission to do so by His Beatitude Onufry, Metropolitan of Kyiv — to make decisions independently within my diocese. I made a decision – we remain in the charter that was before May 27. We commemorate the Patriarch (Kirill, – ed.) and pray for him. I recently met with him, after our meeting he sent us more help. The Lord gives us trials that we must endure,” the hierarch said.