Kiev Patriarchate’s attempt to deny access of UOC chaplains to the military fails

On November 17, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defence held a round table talk on the topic: "Development of chaplain service in Ukraine." The event was attended by representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

People's deputies, representatives of various religious denominations and organizations, as well as members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations, NSDC and community experts discussed the development of the military chaplaincy in Ukraine, the future status and functions of chaplains.

During the discussion, representatives of the UOC-KP proposed to limit access of the priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the military. According to the executive secretary of the Synodal Military Department Yuriy Valigurskiy, the initiative did not find support among those present.

In response to the proposal of the Kiev Patriarchate, Metropolitan Augustine turned to the experience of Poland, which decided to establish the institution of the priesthood only of Catholic priests in 1994. Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland, being at that time responsible for the spiritual care of military personnel, urged officials to provide spiritual support to their faithful – Orthodox soldiers in the army on an equal footing with the Catholics. As a result, it was decided to amend the law and give the opportunity to have custody of the military to clerics of all denominations.

"In contrast to Poland, in the ranks of the Armed Forces the number of UOC Orthodox soldiers is not smaller or perhaps even bigger than the faithful of the Kiev Patriarchate," commented representatives of the military department.

The roundtable participants decided to base on the bill, developed by the Council for Pastoral Care and within two weeks collect the amendments to the text of the bill. After that, the concerned deputies from different factions will submit the agreed bill to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for consideration.

As reported by the UOJ, the UOC is seriously preparing for the establishment of the institute of chaplaincy.