Under the slogan “With God – to Victory”, military chaplains of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine convened at the spiritual heart of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery – for their annual Forum. The gathering provided an opportunity for chaplains to share their experiences from the frontlines and discuss key issues of professional competence in pastoral care during wartime.
The Forum began with a Moleben (prayer service) for victory over the enemy and for the establishment of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Addressing the participants, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine extended heartfelt gratitude to each military chaplain for their service, sacrifice, and commitment.
“Without our modern-day heroes and defenders, there might no longer be a Ukraine. And without our chaplains, it is difficult to imagine the new Ukrainian army – strong and unbreakable in spirit,” he said.
Much has been accomplished by the chaplains during these tragic years of war. Yet, as he pointed out, many challenges remain that require a collective response:
“As a Church, we cannot allow a rollback of the progress already made in chaplaincy service. We cannot permit the return of outdated, atheistic-era mindsets that would reduce the role of the chaplain from that of a priest within the army to a modernized version of the Soviet political officer.”
Reaffirming the Church’s stance, the Primate emphasized: “A chaplain is, first and foremost, a priest of the Church. Yes, this ministry has unique characteristics due to the extraordinary circumstances in which it is carried out. But it remains, above all, the priestly ministry. Military chaplaincy is a spiritual service of the Church. We have fought and will continue to fight to ensure that this understanding remains the foundation of church-state cooperation in this area.”
