War is not just bullets, trenches and explosions. It brings with it heavy losses, which grind people from the inside no less cruelly than enemy shells. Every day, soldiers at the front are in extremely difficult conditions, lose friends, see death and destruction, live at the limit of their physical and psychological capabilities. It is important to find strength in yourself every day so as not to go crazy in the midst of all this hell. Chaplains come in handy – people who are able to save souls.
It is the chaplains who pull people out of the gloom of despair, wipe away tears after the death of their brothers, find words when there are no more words. They listen to confessions between artillery fire, hold the hand of the wounded, hold services in basements and teach how not to lose yourself in the hell of war. Their weapon is prayer, their psyche is stronger than a bulletproof vest, and their main mission is to hold those who fight until they themselves are broken by this bloody maelstrom.
Faith in the trenches
Someone will say that faith is appropriate only for a peaceful life. But the soldiers, returning from the battle, fondly remember the people in military uniform with a cross on their chest, who supported wounded souls in a difficult moment. Religion is rarely talked about in the trenches, but faith is very often talked about. Faith here does not mean something ecclesiastical or dogmatic. This is faith in oneself, in one’s brothers, in the fact that after all this there will be something more important and much better. And it is the chaplain who is able to light and support the fire of faith in the soul. Let’s find out who the chaplains are and what their mission is in the ranks of the Armed Forces.
Chaplain (from lat. chaplain – order.) or a military priest — in Christian churches and some others religious organizations it is a representative of different states of the world clergy, who is entrusted with the pastoral care of a community or a special group of the faithful on a permanent basis. The chaplains themselves are not allowed to carry weapons, so they are accompanied by assistants or armed adjutants. A representative of a religious organization who is a citizen of Ukraine and has a mandate for the right to perform military chaplaincy activities can join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a chaplain.
An image of an old-fashioned priest with a censer appears in the imagination. But chaplains are completely different. These are the fighters of the invisible front, who wear uniforms, wear bulletproof vests and are under fire just like the military. They did not appear yesterday. The Ukrainian army had military chaplains even in the times of the Ukrainian People’s Republic, and in the Cossack army, almost every kuren had its own chaplain or priest. But as a separate structure, the chaplaincy in the modern Armed Forces took shape only during the war with the Russian Federation. Because it became clear: weapons without faith do not always save, and faith without weapons – neither. A chaplain in a combat zone is a psychotherapist and someone who listens to the last word.
Chaplains don’t just read prayers. They listen, support, pull people out of emotional pits. Fighters returning from battle often carry with them not only scratches or wounds, but also immense fatigue, anger, and pain from the loss of comrades. Some cannot fall asleep, some are silent and do not speak for weeks, and some look at one point and do not react to their surroundings.
There are seven areas of chaplaincy:
- military chaplains – a position equivalent to the deputy commander of a regiment or battalion. They are responsible for raising military personnel and supporting them and their families;
- naval chaplains serve in major ports. Must speak several languages and provide support to sailors who have survived capture by sea pirates;
- police chaplains working in stressful situations;
- prison chaplains serving in prisons and pre-trial detention centers and helping people adapt to social life after release;
- hospital chaplains provide assistance and support to both civilians and military personnel in hospitals and general hospitals;
- sports chaplains work with teams and sports clubs;
- municipal chaplains work with local authorities and provide training.
In order to ensure the constitutional right of citizens to freedom of religion (in accordance with Articles 35 and 64 of the Constitution of Ukraine), the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine issued Order No. 677-r on July 2, 2014, which developed and approved regulations on the service of military clergy, which was called chaplain service in the Armed Forces Forces, the National Guard and the State Border Service. But at first, only volunteers became chaplains in the ranks of the Armed Forces.
On November 30, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law “On Military Chaplaincy Service”, which entered into force on July 1, 2022. The military chaplaincy service is a separate structure within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service and other military formations. It reports to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the leadership of the National Guard, the State Security Service and other military structures. Military chaplains are responsible for providing for the spiritual and religious needs of servicemen and their families, as well as for upholding the right to freedom of outlook and religion.
Today, there are 738 military chaplains in the Armed Forces, of which 244 priests have mandates and 78 officers have been appointed to the positions of full-time military chaplains. Most of the chaplains in Ukraine are priests of the OCU who are subordinate to the Synodal Administration of Military Clergy. However, in addition to them, there are also chaplains from the Department of Military Chaplaincy of the UGCC, representatives of the First Ukrainian Battalion of Military Chaplains from Protestant pastors, as well as imams – Muslim chaplains.
Religious organizations and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine prepare military priests for service. The positions of chaplains are distributed based on the number of servicemen in the garrison:
- 500-1000 people – 1 chaplain;
- 1001-2000 people — 2 chaplains;
- 2001-3000 people — 3 chaplains.
In the conditions of a special period, one chaplain position may be held in the battalion, even if the number of the specified units is less than 500 personnel.
How priests became part of the army
When you say “army”, you imagine weapons, armor, orders, strategy. But if you dig deeper, war is not only a physical struggle, but also a psychological one. A fighter can have a machine gun and a bulletproof vest, but if he is empty inside, if fear and despair eat him from the inside, then he is already half defeated. That is why chaplains are important for the army. Those who fight not with weapons, but with words, support and faith.
Chaplaincy is not new. Even in the Middle Ages, there were priests with the troops who blessed the knights before the battles and mourned the dead. In the European armies, chaplains were officially introduced in the 18th and 19th centuries, when they realized that soldiers needed not only discipline, but also moral support.
In Ukraine, chaplains appeared as early as the time of the Cossacks. Priests accompanied them on every campaign, who not only conducted services, but were also kind of psychologists of that time. When thousands of men went into battle knowing they might not return, someone had to keep their spirits up. Cossack priests did not hide behind the backs of the Cossacks, but were nearby, shared all the difficulties and even took up arms when necessary.
During Soviet times, the military chaplaincy in Ukraine was destroyed. The army was supposed to be atheistic, and any religion was considered a relic of the past. But the war that came in 2014 changed everything.
After the invasion of the Russian Federation, the Ukrainian military faced the fact that there is almost no psychological protection. Civilian psychologists who do not have military experience cannot provide full assistance to soldiers in difficult moments. Many broke under the pressure of losses and horrors of war. At the same time, volunteer priests began to appear at the front. They came to military units, to combat zones, sat with soldiers in the trenches, helped those who were losing strength.
It was these first chaplains who proved that an army without spiritual support is weaker. Therefore, in 2017, military chaplaincy was officially introduced into the Armed Forces. And in 2021, it was established by law. Today, chaplains are no longer volunteers, but part of the army. They undergo special training, have military ranks and can even receive the status of a participant in hostilities.
A modern chaplain is not just a man in a cassock. He wears a uniform, knows what frontline life is, and is ready for anything. He can hold a service in a trench under fire, confess a soldier before a battle, listen to someone who can’t take it anymore, or just sit next to him and be silent. Sometimes this is enough to save a person. Because war hits not only the body. It hits deeper – in the heart, in the mind, in faith. And chaplains help our soldiers endure not only physically, but also morally. Without them, this war would have been much more difficult.
Chaplains in the World: How Other Armies Keep Their Warriors Spirited
When you think of a modern army, you imagine armored vehicles, drones, missiles. But there is another invisible but critically important weapon — psychological resilience. And while military psychologists work with cold calculation, there are those who support the other side. Chaplains have become part of the armies of many countries of the world, because any war is not only battles, but also heavy losses and despair. Chaplains are highly respected in the armies of foreign countries. They have military ranks, a pension, a good salary, and social security. But the requirements for them are also high – they pass army standards and jump with parachutes at the same level as the military.
In the American army, chaplaincy has grown from a tradition into an established system. A military chaplain in the United States is an unarmed officer who undergoes extensive training. He can be a Catholic, a Protestant, a Jew, a Muslim, because the army takes religious diversity into account.
But the most important thing is its functions. A military chaplain acts as a crisis psychologist, helping soldiers cope with PTSD, family problems, and stress before battles. He is always in touch, even in the hottest spots.
This was especially evident during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. American chaplains accompanied the troops, conducted services simply in the desert, listened to the soldiers who lost their comrades. They were there even in the worst moments, when it was necessary to say the last words to a wounded person who would not live to see the medics.
The British Army also has a long tradition of military chaplaincy. Her military priests wear uniforms, wear body armor and are where their soldiers are. During World War II, British chaplains were in every battalion, helping soldiers morally and even physically. One such chaplain, Geoffrey Studdert-Kennedy, was nicknamed “Military Woody” for handing out cigarettes to soldiers and staying with them under fire.
Today, British Army chaplains continue to work in war zones. They accompanied the troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo. They conduct services, help soldiers overcome stress and, importantly, support the families of fallen soldiers.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has a unique chaplaincy system. Unlike most countries, Israeli chaplains can carry weapons and even fight if necessary. They are not limited to religious rites, but also provide assistance to the military in difficult moral dilemmas that often arise in war. For example, when a soldier doubts whether he is doing the right thing in a combat situation, a chaplain can give him moral support or explain it from the point of view of Jewish law. Israeli chaplains also play a major role in supporting the families of the victims. In Israel, this is very important, because every soldier is someone’s son, brother, father.
In the French and German armies, chaplains are also an integral part of the military structure. They work not only with the military, but also with their families. They help with adaptation after returning from war and support morale during peacekeeping missions.
Chaplains of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Evangelical Churches serve in the Armed Forces of Poland. Since the majority of the country’s population is Catholic, Catholics also predominate among the military chaplains (approximately 150 chaplains). Orthodox make up the second largest group among Polish military personnel: 19 Orthodox chaplains per 15,000 Orthodox military personnel and their families. The Orthodox Ordinariate of the Polish Army, which has the status of a diocese within the Polish Orthodox Church, provides spiritual care for Orthodox servicemen.
Polish chaplains have the rank of officer and are constantly among the military. They not only conduct religious services, but also monitor the morale of the soldiers.
The leadership of Muslim countries pays considerable attention to the religious factor. In particular, in Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman, special bodies of moral guidance deal with the education of military personnel. They not only develop a system of daily work with the military, but also monitor their strict observance of Islamic rites, as well as organize the construction and expansion of mosques.
Religiously trained military personnel, including soldiers and non-commissioned officers, as well as those attached to units of civilian mullahs, are involved in this activity. The main responsibility rests with the full-time military mullahs and, to a lesser extent, with the officers of the moral guidance bodies.
Chaplains work differently in each army. In some countries they go into battle together with soldiers, in others they only support them morally. But the point is the same everywhere: the military is not just a machine for war. He is human. And so that this person does not break down, there must be someone nearby who will not leave the soldier alone with his fears, pain and doubts.
Today, Ukraine is only building its system of military chaplaincy. So far, full-time chaplains work in extremely difficult conditions for low wages and have to purchase military equipment at their own expense. Volunteers are generally forced to find a place to stay and food themselves. But world experience shows that an army that takes care of the spirit of its soldiers is able to win not only battles, but also the war.
Chaplains keep the soldiers while they keep the country. And this is not a pathetic phrase, but the reality of front-line existence. After all, in this war there are many who cannot be seen. They are not included in the statistics of downed drones, their stories rarely make headlines, but without them the Ukrainian army would be weaker.
