UGCC chaplain: Priests do not want to go to the army

UGCC chaplain Rostyslav Vysochan. Photo: Ukrinform

Military chaplain of the UGCC, Rostyslav Vysochan, said to Ukrinform that the clergy of different denominations do not want to serve as chaplains in the Armed Forces, which results in less than a quarter of the required number of chaplains in the military.

"We have 738 positions, of which only 165 are filled," Vysochan said. According to him, this situation is due, firstly, to the "deficit of clergymen in Ukrainian society". Secondly, the clergy do not want to serve in the Armed Forces.

"There are many priests who do not agree to serve in military chaplaincy due to various circumstances. In particular, becoming a military serviceman, an officer in the Armed Forces, imposes certain conditions on you, including physical ones," said the UGCC priest.

At the same time, R. Vysochan and a chaplain of the UOC, K. Kholodov, noted that there are almost no UOC priests in the army because the law prohibits it for them. They do not see problems with this.

Rostyslav Vysochan also mentioned soldiers who are Jews and Muslims, stating that "if there is such a request, we should be open to providing them the opportunity to satisfy their spiritually religious needs."

According to him, "this principle applies not only to Jews and Muslims but also to representatives of other religious organizations".

As reported, clergymen from the OCU and the UGCC do not want to go to the frontlines as chaplains.

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