In war, Divine justice and God's care for people are seen especially clearly. War does not tolerate dishonor - a bullet quickly finds an immoral person.
Venerable Paisiy Svyatogorets
In times of difficult trials, upheavals and wars, the Russian Orthodox Church has always been with its people and its army, not only strengthening and blessing soldiers to fight for their Fatherland, but also with weapons in hand on the front line, as in the war with Napoleon’s army and the fascist invaders to the Great Patriotic War. Thanks to the Decree of the President of Russia of 2009 on the revival of the institution of full-time military clergy, Orthodox priests have become an integral part of modern Russian army. Our correspondent Denis Akhalashvili visited the department for relations with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of the Yekaterinburg diocese, where he learned first-hand about how relations between the Church and the army are developing today.
So that the Liturgy is served in the unit and conversations on spiritual topics are held
Colonel - Head of the Department for Relations with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of the Yekaterinburg Diocese:
In the Yekaterinburg diocese, the department was created in 1995. Since that time, we have prepared and concluded cooperation agreements with all law enforcement agencies in the Ural Federal District: the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the Sverdlovsk Region, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the Sverdlovsk Region, the Ural Military District, the Ural District of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The Ekaterinburg diocese was the first in post-Soviet Russia to sign a cooperation agreement with the military commissariat of the Sverdlovsk region. From our structure, departments for working with the Cossacks and for prison service were subsequently created. We collaborated with 450 military units and formations of the Armed Forces and divisions of law enforcement agencies in the Sverdlovsk region, where 255 clergy of our diocese were regularly involved in the care of believers. With the transformation of the diocese into a metropolitanate in the Yekaterinburg diocese, there are 154 priests in 241 military units and divisions of law enforcement agencies.
Since 2009, after the publication of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the creation of the institution of full-time military clergy in the Russian army, 266 positions of full-time military clergy, assistant commanders for working with religious military personnel from among the clergy of traditional denominations, including Orthodox priests, have been determined. There are five such positions identified in our diocese.
Today we have 154 priests visiting military units, where they perform sacraments, give lectures, conduct classes, etc. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill once said that a priest who visits a military unit once a month is like a wedding general. I'm not sure I'm conveying it verbatim, but the meaning is clear. I, as a career military man, understand perfectly well that if a priest comes once a month to a unit where 1,500 people serve, then in reality he will be able to communicate at best with a couple of dozen soldiers, which, of course, is not enough. We decided to increase the efficiency of our cooperation in the following way: with the consent of the command of the units, on a certain day, 8-10 priests come to a specific military unit at once. Three directly in the unit serve the Divine Liturgy, the rest confess. After the Liturgy, confession and Communion, the military go to breakfast, after which they are divided into groups, where each of the priests conducts a conversation on a given topic, based on the church calendar and the specific needs of a particular unit. Separately - headquarters officers, separately - contract soldiers, separately - conscripts, then doctors, women and civilian personnel; a group of those who are in medical institutions. As practice has shown, in today's conditions this is the most effective form cooperation: military personnel receive spiritual knowledge, but also participate in the Liturgy, confess and receive communion, and also have the opportunity to communicate and discuss an exciting personal topic with a specific priest, which, given the psychological requirements for the modern army, is very important. I know from the command of the formations that the effect was very good; unit commanders ask for such events to be carried out constantly.
Every year we celebrate Defender of the Fatherland Day. And on the eve of this holiday, with the blessing of Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye, we go home to congratulate our veterans, presenting them with congratulatory addresses and memorable gifts from the ruling bishop.
"Father for a soldier - dear person,
with whom you can talk about painful things"
My history of serving in the army began many years ago, when I was the rector of the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh on the outskirts of Yekaterinburg - in the village of Bolshoy Istok behind the Koltsovo airport. Our dean was a wonderful priest, Archpriest Andrei Nikolaev, a former military man who served in the army for 13 years as an ensign and enjoyed great authority among the military. Once he asked me how I thought about not just going to the military unit we supported from time to time, but becoming a permanent staff member. army chaplain. I thought about it and agreed. I remember when Father Andrei and I came to our Bishop Kirill for a blessing, he joked: well, some (points to Father Andrei) leave the army, and some (points to me), on the contrary, go there. In fact, Vladyka was very glad that our relations with the army had moved to a new level, that besides me, four more priests of our diocese were approved by the Minister of Defense and became full-time priests. The Bishop blessed and said many warm parting words. And since July 2013, when the official order of my appointment came, I have been serving at the location of my unit.
How does ministry work? First, as expected, morning divorce. I address the servicemen of the military unit with a parting speech, after which the official part ends, feet in hand - and I went to walk kilometers around the units. Our military unit is large - 1.5 thousand people, while you go around all the addresses planned according to the plan, by the evening you can’t feel your feet under you. I don’t sit in an office, I go to people myself.
We have a prayer room in the middle of the barracks. When it’s not easy for a soldier, he will look - and God is here, nearby!
Our prayer room is located in the hall, in the middle of the barracks: on the left there are bunks in two tiers, on the right there are bunks, the prayer room is in the middle. This is convenient: you want to pray or talk to the priest - here he is nearby, please! I take it there every day. And the presence of shrines, icons, an altar, an iconostasis, candles in the middle of a soldier’s life also has a beneficial effect on the soldier. It can be difficult for a soldier, he will look - God is here, near! I prayed, talked to the priest, took part in the sacraments - and things got better. This is all visible, happening before your eyes.
If there are no teachings or rush jobs, I serve every Saturday and Sunday. Anyone who wants to and is not in finery comes to the vespers, confesses, and prepares for Communion.
During the service at the Holy Chalice, we all become brothers in Christ, this is also very important. This then affects the relationship between officers and subordinates.
In general, I’ll say this: if priests were not useful in the army, they wouldn’t be there either! The army is a serious matter, there is no time to deal with nonsense. But as experience shows, the presence of a priest in a unit has a really beneficial effect on the situation. A priest is not a psychologist, he is a priest, a father, for a soldier he is a loved one with whom you can have a heart-to-heart talk. Just the day before yesterday, a conscript corporal came to me, his eyes were sad, lost... Something was not working out for him, somewhere he was treated rudely, so despondency fell on the man, he withdrew into himself. We talked to him and looked at his problems from the Christian side. I say: “You didn’t just end up in the army, you chose the service yourself?” He nods. “Did you want to serve?” - “Of course I wanted to!” - answers. - “Something went wrong, something turned out to be not as rosy as I thought. But is this only true in the army? Everywhere, if you look closely, there are tops and roots! When you get married, you think that you will lie in front of the TV and be happy, but instead you will have to work twice as hard to support your wife and family! It doesn’t happen like in a fairy tale: once - and you’re done, pike command! You need to work hard! And God will help! Let us pray and ask God for help together!”
When a person sees that he is not alone, that the Lord is nearby and helps him, everything changes.
In the conditions of a modern army with increased psychological and professional stress, such warm, trusting, sincere relationships are very important. You communicate with the guys every day, talk, drink tea, everything is open, eye to eye. You pray for them every day. If you don’t have this, if you are all non-criminal, you have nothing to do in the army, no one will understand you, and no one needs you here.
“We already have a tradition: for all teachings we always take a camp church”
, Assistant Head of the Department for Work with Religious Military Personnel of the Directorate for Work with Personnel of the Central Military District:
In 2012, I was the rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael in the working-class village of Achit and looked after the military registration and enlistment office, the fire department, and the police, so when the Bishop blessed me for this service, I already had good experience in relations with representatives of various law enforcement agencies. At the district headquarters, a department has been created to work with religious military personnel, where two priests and the head of the department are constantly located. In addition to spiritual nourishment command staff district, our task is to help military units where there are no full-time priests, to establish work with believers, to come as needed and fulfill their priestly duties. By the way, sometimes not only Orthodox Christians turn to you in the unit. Recently a Muslim soldier approached me. He wanted to attend a service at the mosque, but did not know how to do it. I helped him, found out where the nearest mosque was, when services were held there, how to get there...
At this time, Father Vladimir’s phone rings, he asks for forgiveness and answers: “I wish you good health!” God bless! Yes, I agree! Write a report addressed to the ruling bishop. If he blesses, I’ll go with you!”
I ask what's the matter. Father Vladimir smiles:
For exercises? Of course I'll go! We will be in the field, living in a tent, the regime will be like everyone else’s
The unit commander called, they are leaving for exercises next week, and asked to go with them. Of course I'll go! The training is short - only two weeks! We will be in the field, we will live in a tent, the regime will be like everyone else’s. In the morning they do exercises, I have a morning rule. Then in the camp church, if there is no service, I accept those who wish. We already have a tradition: for all teachings we always take a camp church with us, where we can perform all the necessary sacraments, baptism, Liturgy... We also always put up a tent for Muslims.
Here we were at a training camp near the city of Chebarkul, in the Chelyabinsk region; There was a village nearby where there was a temple. The local priest not only served the Liturgy with us, but also gave us his vessels and prosphora for worship. There was a large service, where several priests gathered, everyone confessed, and at the Liturgy there were many communicants from several military units.
On the territory of our unit on Uktus (one of the districts of Yekaterinburg. - YES.) the Church of the Martyr Andrew Stratilates was built, where I am the rector and regularly serve there. In addition, by agreement with unit commanders, we constantly travel in groups of priests of up to ten people to some part of our district, where we give lectures, conduct open classes on a given topic and be sure to serve the Liturgy, confess and receive communion. Then we went to the barracks, and - if desired - communicated with all the believers, both military and civilian personnel.
Serving in intelligence is not an easy task.
, rector of the Church of St. George the Victorious in the village. Maryinsky:
I twice went on business trips to the North Caucasus region, where I was with the camp temple of Alexander Nevsky at the military unit of the Ural District of Internal Troops. How was the service? In the morning, during formation, with the permission of the command, you read morning prayers. You go out in front of the line, everyone takes off their hats, you read “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Heavenly King”, a prayer for the beginning of a good deed and an excerpt from the life of the saint to whom this day is dedicated. In addition to those on the road, 500-600 people are present at the formation. After prayer, the divorce begins. I go to the temple, where I receive everyone. Once a week I conduct spiritual conversations with the staff. After the conversation, personal face-to-face communication begins.
There is a joke that in the army they don’t swear, in the army they speak this language. And when a priest is nearby, even officers begin to restrain themselves in this regard. They already speak words closer to the Russian language, remember politeness, ask for forgiveness, relations between themselves and their subordinates become more friendly, more humane or something. For example, a major comes to confession in our tent, and a simple soldier stands in front of him. The major doesn’t push him away, doesn’t push forward, he stands and waits for his turn. And then they, together with this soldier, take communion from the same Chalice. And when they meet in a normal setting, they already perceive each other differently than before.
You immediately feel that you are at the location of a military unit that carries out combat missions every day. In civilian life, all the grandmothers love you, all you hear is: “Father, father!”, and no matter what you are, they love you simply because you are a priest. That's not the case here at all. They've seen everyone here and won't just welcome you with open arms. Their respect must be earned.
Our field temple is assigned to a reconnaissance platoon. They are responsible for setting up, assembling and moving the mobile temple. These guys are very serious - maroon berets. To become a maroon beret, you must die and then be resurrected - so they say. Many of them went through both Chechen campaigns, saw blood, saw death, lost fighting friends. These people are accomplished individuals who have given all of themselves to serving the Motherland. All intelligence officers are simple warrant officers, they do not have high ranks. But if war happens, each of them will be individually appointed as a platoon commander, they will carry out any command tasks, and lead the soldiers. The fighting spirit rests on them; they are the elite of our army.
The scouts always invite the newly arrived priest to come and get acquainted with them for tea. This is actually a very important ritual, during which the first and often the last impression is formed about you. What are you? What kind of person are you? Can you even be trusted? They test you as a man, take a closer look, ask various tricky questions, and are interested in your past life.
I myself am from the Orenburg Cossacks, and therefore checkers and pistols have been familiar to me since childhood; at the genetic level, we have a love for military affairs. At one time I was involved in the young paratroopers’ club, from the age of 13 I jumped with a parachute, I dreamed of serving in the paratroopers. Unfortunately, due to health problems, I was not accepted into the landing force; I served in the conventional troops.
The scouts examined the target and laughed: “The test passed!” Come, they say, to us, in maroon berets!
I went out with the scouts for shooting, where they checked my worth in battle. First they gave me a gun. I didn’t really like it: I shoot in civilian life at a shooting range from a heavier Beretta. But it’s okay, I got used to it and hit all the targets. Then they gave me some new machine gun, specially designed for intelligence officers, with a short barrel. I shot at a common target, I saw that the recoil was weak, it was easy and convenient to shoot - and I shot the second magazine at moving targets, knocking out all the “tens”. They examined the targets and laughed: “The test passed!” Come, they say, to us, in maroon berets! I shot with an AK machine gun, and it also turned out well.
After the shootings, the number of parishioners in the unit increased sharply. Now we regularly correspond with Pashka from intelligence. He writes to me how they are doing there, and I write to me how it is here; We make sure to congratulate each other on the holidays. When we met him during my first business trip, when he read the Lord’s Prayer, he made eight mistakes, and on the final business trip two years later, when we met him again, he read the Hours and prayers for Communion at the service.
I also have a friend from the Cossacks, Sashka, an FSB officer. He looks like Ilya Muromets, he’s half a head taller than me and his shoulders are wider. Their FSB detachment was transferred, and they were left to guard some of the remaining equipment. So he protects. I ask: “How are you, Sasha?” He takes the blessing, we kiss like brothers, and he joyfully replies: “All glory to God! I’m guarding it little by little!”
The banner was carried by a standard bearer from the Kremlin regiment. I carried it like that - I couldn’t take my eyes off it! The banner was floating through the air!
On Epiphany, our scouts and I found an abandoned old fountain, quickly cleaned it, filled it with water and made a Jordan. They served a festive service, and then there was a night religious procession, with banners, icons, and lanterns. Let's go, eat, pray. A real standard-bearer carried the banner in front, so carried it - you couldn’t take your eyes off it! The banner simply floats through the air! Then I ask him: where did you learn this? He tells me: “Yes, I am a professional standard bearer, I served in the Kremlin regiment, I walked on Red Square with a banner!” We had such wonderful fighters there! And then everyone - commanders, soldiers, and civilian personnel - went as one to the Epiphany font. And all glory to God!
Are you wondering how I built the temple? I am the abbot of it, I will say so. When we finished construction and consecrated the temple, I went to see my confessor. I tell the story, show photographs: so, they say, and so, father, I built a temple! And he laughs: ““Fly, fly, where have you been?” - "As where? The field was plowed!” They ask her: “How, yourself?” She says: “Well, not quite myself. I sat on the neck of an ox who was plowing the field.” So people built your temple, philanthropists, various donors... Maybe grandmothers collected pennies. The people built your temple, and the Lord appointed you to serve there!” Since then I no longer say that I built the temple. And to serve - yes, I serve! There is such a thing!
“God willing, we will serve this Easter in the new church.”
, assistant commander of a separate railway brigade:
It is good when a commander sets an example for his subordinates. Our unit commander is a believer, he regularly confesses and receives communion. The head of department too. Subordinates watch, and some also come to the service. Nobody forces anyone, and this cannot be done, because faith is everyone’s personal, sacred matter. to his personal time everyone can dispose of it as he wants. You can read a book, you can watch TV or sleep. Or you can go to church for a service or talk with the priest - if not to confess, then have a heart-to-heart talk.
Nobody forces anyone, and this cannot be done, because faith is everyone’s personal, sacred matter
Sometimes 150-200 people gather at our service. At the last Liturgy, 98 people received communion. General confession is not practiced now, so imagine how long confession lasts for us.
In addition to the fact that I serve in the unit, in civilian life I am the rector of the Church of St. Hermogenes on Elmash. Whenever possible, we take an onboard Ural, it can accommodate 25 people who come to my service. Naturally, people know that this is not an excursion or an entertainment event, that they will have to stand there for services and pray, so random people don’t go there. Those who want to pray in the church for divine services go.
Previously, the evening time in the unit was occupied by the deputy commander for educational work, but now they decided to give the evening time to the priest, that is, to me. At this time, I meet with military personnel, get to know each other, and communicate. I ask: “Who wants to go to my church for a service?” We are compiling a list of those interested. And so on for each division. I submit the lists to the brigade commander and the unit commander, the company commander, and they release the military personnel when they need to go to duty. And the commander is calm that the soldier is not hanging out somewhere and doing nonsense; and the soldier sees a kind attitude toward himself and can resolve some of his spiritual issues.
It is, of course, easier to serve in a unit. Now our parish of St. Hermogenes is building a temple in the name of heavenly patrons on the territory of the part railway troops the passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb. The head of the department, Major General Anatoly Anatolyevich Bragin, initiated this case. He is a believer from a pious, believing family, he has been confessing and receiving communion since childhood, and he warmly supported the idea of building a temple, helping with paperwork and approvals. In the fall of 2017, we drove piles into the foundation of the future temple, poured the foundation, now we have installed the roof, and ordered the domes. When the service is held in the new church, of course, there will be no shortage of parishioners there. Already now people stop me and ask: “Father, when will you open the temple?!” God willing, we will serve this Easter in the new church.
"The main thing is special person who came to you"
, cleric of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Yekaterinburg:
I have been caring for private security for more than 12 years, since the time when they belonged to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I have been supporting the Directorate of the Russian Guard for two years, since its formation.
Are you asking who came up with the idea to bless all traffic police cars? Unfortunately, not for me, this is an initiative of the leadership of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Sverdlovsk Region. I just performed the ceremony. Although, of course, I liked the idea! Still would! Collect all 239 new traffic police vehicles on the main square of the city - the square of 1905 - and consecrate them at once! I hope this will affect both the work of employees and the attitude of drivers towards them. Why are you smiling? With God everything is possible!
In my priestly life I have seen a lot of things. From 2005 to 2009, I served at the parish in the name of the Archangel Michael in the Zarechny microdistrict - and for four years in a row, every Sunday I served in the open-air park. We didn’t have any premises or church, I served right in the middle of the park - first prayers, then with God’s help I bought vessels, mother sewed a cover for the Throne, and in the fall we served the first Liturgy. I posted notices around the area that we would invite you to worship in the park on such and such a date. Sometimes up to a hundred people gathered! On holidays, we went through religious processions throughout the area, sprinkled holy water, collected gifts, and gave them to veteran grandmothers! We lived happily, together, it’s a sin to complain! Sometimes I meet old parishioners with whom I served in the park, they rejoice and hug you.
They listen to the priest in the army. We help. Yes, this is why God sent me here - to help people
If we talk about the specifics of service in law enforcement agencies, then the priest there is a sacred figure. Imagine a building with tall offices and big bosses busy with important things. state affairs related to the security of the country, and so on. If a civilian comes there, they will not listen to him and will immediately throw him out the door. And they listen to the priest. I can tell you from experience that there are wonderful people sitting there in the big offices! The main thing is not to ask them for anything, then you can find a common language with them. Well, I’m not asking, on the contrary, I’m bringing them such treasures that they would love it! What, as it is written in the Gospel, that rust does not take, and thieves cannot steal, are treasures that faith and life in the Church give us! The main thing is people, this is a specific person who is sitting in front of you, and shoulder straps are the fifth thing.
In order for a priest to successfully provide care in law enforcement agencies, first of all, he needs to establish good contacts with his superiors and the head of the personnel department. He knows everyone’s personal business; he is, if you like, an executor in law enforcement agencies. He knows a lot and can give advice and save you from many mistakes. Just like you can help him in his work. It's all mutual, he helps you, you help him, and as a result everyone has fewer problems. He can call me and say: “You know, such and such an officer has problems. Can you talk to him? I go to this officer and, like a priest, help him understand his problem.
If contacts have taken place, everything will be fine. I know what I'm talking about. During my service in the security forces, three leaders changed, and I had good constructive relations with all of them. All people, by and large, are only interested in themselves. We must try to be necessary and useful to the extent that these busy people ready to receive you. You were put there to help them solve their problems with God's help! If you understand this, then everything will work out for you; if you start engaging in education or preaching, it will all end badly. The specifics of law enforcement agencies make their own severe adjustments, and if you want to succeed in your business, you need to take this into account. As the Apostle Paul said: to be everything to everyone!
Over the years of communication, people begin to trust you. I baptized the children of some, got married to others, and consecrated the house of others. We developed close, almost family relationships with many of us. People know that at any time they can turn to you for help with any problem and you will never refuse and help. God sent me here for this: so that I could help people - so I serve!
God leads people to faith in different ways. I remember one colonel was very hostile to the fact that a priest was coming to their administration and, as he thought, was only disturbing everyone. I could see from his contemptuous look that he did not like my presence. And then his brother died, and it so happened that I performed his funeral service. And there, perhaps for the first time, he looked at me with different eyes and saw that I could be useful. Then he had problems with his wife, he came to me, and we talked for a long time. In general, now this person, although he does not go to church every Sunday, has a different attitude towards the Church. And this is the main thing.
Military priests in the Russian army will no longer surprise anyone - “priests in uniform” have organically fit into the modern Russian army. Before carrying the word of God into the ranks, army chaplains must undergo a month-long combat training course. Recently, such training began at the Military University of the Ministry of Defense. The “cadets in cassocks”, as if in spirit, told the special correspondent of “Culture” who visited there why they needed the army.
Shooting is canceled
Officially, according to the staff list, their position is called “assistant commander for work with religious servicemen.” High rank: one military priest ministers large connection- a division, a brigade, a military school, this is several thousand people. Despite the fact that they themselves are not military personnel, do not wear shoulder straps, and by virtue of their clergy they are generally prohibited from picking up weapons, military chaplains undergo military training courses every three years.
The head of the department for work with religious military personnel, Alexander Surovtsev, believes that an army priest, although a spiritual person, must also have certain military knowledge. For example, to have an idea of the types and branches of troops, to understand how the Airborne Forces differ from the Navy and the Strategic Missile Forces from the Airborne Forces.
Training to improve military qualifications, Surovtsev tells Culture, lasts a month and is conducted at five military educational institutions throughout the country. The current group of priests at the Military University is the fourth since the spring of 2013. It has 18 Orthodox priests from various regions of Russia, most of them appointed to positions this year. In total, 60 representatives of the military clergy have already successfully completed training here, including 57 Orthodox Christians, two Muslims and one Buddhist.
Surovtsev himself is a career military man. But for the sake of his current position, he had to remove his shoulder straps - a civilian must manage the priests. “These chaplains have military ranks, but we have priests without shoulder straps,” smiles Alexander Ivanovich. Back in the early 90s, he was seconded to the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies and, in fact, stood at the origins of the institute of military clergy in the army.
As Surovtsev said, within a month the cadet priests will have to master the basics of tactics and other sciences. The further list of topics - spiritual and educational, moral and psychological, philosophical and political science, socio-economic - made my head spin. I think I’m not the only one, so military priests are especially looking forward to going “to the field” - to training grounds and shooting ranges. This year they will not be given weapons in their hands - there have been too many misunderstandings about the participation of their predecessors in the shootings. The media was full of photographs of priests with Kalashnikovs, the captions were not very kind. Therefore, this time the Ministry of Defense decided not to expose themselves, and not to substitute the priests. True, some complain.
So what? - said Archpriest Oleg Khatsko, he came from Kaliningrad. - The Scripture says “thou shalt not kill.” And there is not a word about the fact that a clergyman cannot take up arms.
If you can’t shoot, then what will the priests do at the shooting range? Watch how military personnel make holes in targets and bless them for a well-aimed shot. Practical training for priests includes familiarization with a field station for working with religious military personnel, which will be deployed at one of the training grounds in the Moscow region. This type of tent is also available at the Military University - in case the cadets and students who are constantly studying here leave for field training. Assistant to the head of the university, Archpriest Dmitry Solonin, will tell everything and show his fellow priests who arrived for advanced training - many brought with them camp sets of church utensils. By the way, the Russian Army also has a permanent camp temple - so far there is only one, in Abkhazia, on the territory of the 7th Russian military base in the city of Gudauta. The local archpriest Vasily Alesenko believes that soon a permanent church will be built for them. “Everything is God’s will,” he told me. “Well, a little help from the Ministry of Defense.”
And just the other day, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Dmitry Bulgakov, announced that on the two Arctic islands where they are stationed Russian troops, construction of the chapels has been completed. There will be four of them in this region - on the islands of Kotelny, Wrangel, Franz Josef Land and Cape Schmidt.
In addition to classes (this is 144 training hours), military chaplains also have a cultural program. They will visit the Central Museum of the Armed Forces, the Studio of Military Artists named after M.B. Grekov, will go to the Borodino field, where they will serve a prayer service. And on November 3, they are entrusted with participating in the evening service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where the next day a solemn service will take place in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Shepherd of Orthodox Sheep
I’ve always wondered how the army addresses military chaplains? Do they have military uniforms or camouflage cassocks? Are soldiers supposed to salute their priests, after all, they are an assistant (consider a deputy) to the commander?
“I overheard our priests deciphering the word “priest” - shepherd of Orthodox sheep,” Alexander Surovtsev smiles. - In general, that’s true... There are no special recommendations for contacting priests in the army. There is definitely no need to give honor - their rank is not military, but spiritual. Most often, a priest is addressed as “father.”
Father Oleg from Kostroma echoes Surovtsev: “You need to earn your appeal. So you come to the commander, introduce yourself by last name, first name, patronymic, and church rank, and then it depends on the relationship, on what result you bring. But most often they are called, of course, father.”
I heard everything - the Holy Father, and even “Your Eminence” from the lips of the authorities, many hesitated, not knowing what to call it, laughs Archpriest Oleg Khatsko. “But it’s better to give the commander the opportunity to choose the treatment himself.”
Priest Dionisy Grishin from the Airborne Forces training center (himself a former paratrooper) also remembers, not without a smile, how he experimented with greetings.
I approach the line of soldiers and roar in a deep voice: “I wish you good health, comrade soldiers!” Father Dionysius shows naturally. - Well, in response, as expected, they answer: “We wish you good health...” - and then there is confusion. Some fell silent, others said randomly, “comrade priest,” “comrade priest.” And somehow a mischievous guy came across, who also spoke in a deep voice, while his comrades were wondering how he would say: “We wish you good health, comrade priest!” I just laughed, but later I just said hello, not in a military way.
With the form, everything is also simple - the priests serve in church clothes, as it should be. But they are given field camouflage - upon request. It’s more convenient to move through forests and fields in it and during exercises, and it doesn’t get as dirty as a cassock.
During the service, of course, not about any military uniform“It’s out of the question,” explains priest Evgeniy Tsiklauri from the Russian Kant military base in Kyrgyzstan. - But when sometimes you put on a uniform, you feel more favor from the soldiers. Here Muslim military personnel become more open, they see you as a comrade, a fellow soldier. By the way, regarding Muslims, we managed to agree that a local imam would read sermons to them on a freelance basis.
Military chaplains don’t get too hung up on fasting either.
Posting in the army is optional, we will only advise what you can abstain from, the priests say. - It also depends on the intensity of the service. Here in pre-revolutionary Russia in the army they fasted in groups - a week for each unit. And Peter I at one time demanded permission from the patriarch not to fast during wars and campaigns.
But the main thing for a military priest is not the form, but the content: his task is to increase the morale of the unit.
In Chechnya, during the war, soldiers reached out to the priest, hoping to find moral support from him, an opportunity to strengthen their spirit by hearing a wise and calm word, reserve colonel Nikolai Nikulnikov recalls in a conversation with Culture. “As a commander, I did not interfere and I myself always treated the priests with respect - after all, they walked with the soldiers under the same bullets. And in peaceful life, while serving in the Ulyanovsk airborne brigade, I became convinced that the word of a priest disciplines. If the fighters have been to confession with a good priest or just at a church service, you certainly don’t expect drinking or other violations from them. You can say: like the priest, so is the regiment. They know how to set people up to complete a task without any commands.
Gentlemen Junkers
In the Russian army, according to statistics, 78% are believers, but few people have knowledge that extends beyond the Lord’s Prayer. “There are many believers, but few are enlightened,” complains Father Vasily. “But that’s our purpose—to strengthen the spirit and mind of our flock.”
Guys now come to the army with faith in their hearts, we only help them, says Archpriest Oleg Novikov from the Kostroma Academy of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection. “This year, immediately after entering the academy, forty young men came to the temple. And no one forced them to do this.
Father Oleg recalls an episode 17 years ago, when the film “The Barber of Siberia” was filmed in Kostroma - 300 school cadets were involved. They were given cadet uniforms, which they wore neither during classes nor even during discharges to the city. To get used to the character. Grandmothers cried on the streets, recognizing the cadets' uniforms - the same as in the surviving photographs of their fathers.
At that time I was already the rector of the church, which was located on the territory of the school, and all these three months we lived together with the cadets,” continues the archpriest. - And I noticed how guys change literally before our eyes...
When Nikita Mikhalkov and the actors left for Moscow on New Year’s Eve, the “junkers” got a vacation from working in cinema. It would seem that we could relax. But no! They became so accustomed to their new essence that when they entered the church, they sang “Our Father” and other prayers even better and more conscientiously than in the presence of their film mentors.
They did it absolutely sincerely, that’s what’s important,” says Father Oleg. - Not under coercion, but solely of one’s own free will.
Oleg Novikov himself also graduated from the Kostroma Military School.
At one time, Novikov’s namesake, Archpriest Oleg Khatsko, was a cadet at the Kaliningrad Higher Naval School. He studied well, did not violate discipline - in three years of study, he was AWOL only twice, one of which turned out to be a collective one - in protest against the injustice of the teacher. But then one day he felt that this was not his military career, he wrote a report and left.
Friends, especially those who are still serving in Kaliningrad, joke: they say, was it worth leaving the school to come back here again, even as a military chaplain?
When we were already saying goodbye to the heroes of this essay, a chant was heard within the walls of the Military University. The priests unanimously said: “It is worthy to eat as one truly blesses You, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God-o-o...”
This is a prayer at the completion of any good deed,” explained Alexander Surovtsev. “And our cadets-priests went through another course of lectures and enriched themselves with knowledge that will help them in communicating with their military flock. It's not a sin to sing.
Salary for a priest
The decision to create an institute of military clergy in the Russian army and navy was made on July 21, 2009. The first in 2011 was Father Anatoly Shcherbatyuk, who was ordained to the rank of priest at the Church of Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Sertolovo, Leningrad Region (Western Military District). Now there are more than 140 military chaplains in the army. Their composition is proportional to the ratio of believing military personnel. Orthodox make up 88%, Muslims - 9%. There is only one Buddhist military priest so far - in a separate motorized rifle brigade in the Buryat city of Kyakhta. This is the lama of the Murochinsky monastery-datsan, reserve sergeant Bair Batomunkuev, he does not claim a separate temple in the military unit - he performs rituals in a yurt.
In 1914, about 5,000 regimental and naval chaplains and several hundred chaplains served in the Russian army. Mullahs also served in national formations, for example in the “Wild Division”, staffed by immigrants from the Caucasus.
In pre-revolutionary Russia, as Boris Lukichev, the first head of the department for work with religious servicemen in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, told Culture, the activities of priests were secured by special legal status. Formally, clergy did not have military ranks, but in fact, in a military environment, a deacon was equated to a lieutenant, a priest to a captain, the rector of a military cathedral and a divisional dean to a lieutenant colonel, a field chief priest of armies and navies and a chief priest of the General Staff, Guards and Grenadier Corps to a major general, and the protopresbyter of military and naval clergy (the highest ecclesiastical office for the army and navy, established in 1890) to lieutenant general.
The church “table of ranks” influenced the salaries paid from the treasury of the military department and other privileges. For example, each ship's priest was entitled to a separate cabin and boat, he had the right to pester the ship from the starboard side, which, besides him, was allowed only to flagships, ship commanders and officers who had St. George's awards. The sailors were obliged to salute him.
In the Russian army, Orthodox priests resumed their activities almost immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, this happened on a voluntary basis and their activities strongly depended on the will of a particular unit commander - in some places priests were not even allowed on the threshold, but in others the doors were thrown wide open, and even senior officers stood to attention in front of the clergy.
The first official cooperation agreement between the church and the army was signed in 1994. At the same time, the Coordination Committee for interaction between the Armed Forces and the Russian Orthodox Church appeared. In February 2006, Patriarch Alexy II gave his blessing for the training of military priests “for the spiritual care of the Russian army.” Soon Russian President Vladimir Putin approved this idea.
The priests' salaries are paid by the Ministry of Defense. Recently they were given a 10 percent bonus for the difficult nature of their service and long working hours. It began to cost 30-40 thousand rubles a month. As Culture learned, the defense department is now considering the possibility of equating their salaries to what military personnel receive in a similar position as assistant commander of a formation - it will be approximately 60,000. With God’s help, one can live.
In 2011, the Russian Ministry of Defense continues to work on the selection and appointment of clergy to regular positions in the Armed Forces. For this purpose, the Department for Work with Religious Military Personnel has been created within the structure of the military department, the main task of which is to implement the decision of the President Russian Federation on the revival of the army and navy clergy. The head of the department, B.M., talks about the specifics of the work of a military priest and the nature of interaction between the Church and the army in an interview with the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate (No. 4, 2011). Lukichev.
— Boris Mikhailovich, what is the structure of your department, what is it currently doing, and at what stage is the implementation of the President’s decision to restore the institution of military clergy in the Armed Forces?
— The decision of the President of Russia to re-establish the military and naval clergy in the Armed Forces was initiated, as is known, by an appeal signed by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', as well as other leaders of traditional religious associations of Russia. It is determined by the logic of the development of state-church relations in our country over the past 15-20 years. These relations have developed on the basis of modern legislation in the interests of cooperation government agencies and religious associations.
The real situation in the troops and on the ground prompted such a decision. navy. Statistics show that believers in the Russian Armed Forces make up about 63% of the total personnel, and, by the way, the largest number of believers are Orthodox Christians. All of them are citizens of Russia, having the right to freely practice their faith and satisfy religious needs. Thus, the decision of the head of state is aimed at ensuring the constitutional rights of military personnel. Naturally, the fact that, in particular, the Russian Orthodox Church, like other traditional religious associations Russia, possessing powerful spiritual potential, can and has been promoting for many years the intensification of spiritual enlightenment and the introduction of a moral dimension into the life of military groups.
The revival of the institution of the military priesthood is an organic part of the reform and modernization of the Armed Forces. Although, in a certain sense, this is a revival in a new quality of what already existed in the Russian army.
At the initial stage, the formation of the structure of bodies for working with religious military personnel is largely an administrative issue. IN central office The Russian Ministry of Defense has created a department for working with religious military personnel, which I head. In four military districts, departments are being formed within the personnel management departments, whose staff, in addition to the chief - civilian— three clergymen enter. Finally, the next level of the structure is assistants to formation commanders and heads of universities for work with religious servicemen. Simply put, these are divisional, brigade or university priests. Their religious affiliation depends on what faith the majority of military personnel professes (to appoint a priest to a unit, believers must make up at least 10% of the total number). In total, 240 priestly positions and 9 civil servants have been established in the Armed Forces.
First of all, corresponding positions were created in Russian military bases abroad. The military personnel there are in difficult conditions, far from their homeland, so the priest’s help is most in demand there. Full-time military chaplains are already helping our soldiers abroad. In Sevastopol this is Archpriest Alexander Bondarenko, who was the first appointee in the ministry, in Gudauta (Abkhazia) - Priest Alexander Terpugov, in Gyumri (Armenia) - Archimandrite Andrey (Vats).
— Why did the Black Sea Fleet become a pioneer?
- This is hardly an accident. So, under Peter the Great, the military service of the monks of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra began on ships. It’s not for nothing that they say: “Whoever has not gone to sea has not prayed to God.” In our case, there was the good will of the fleet command. In addition, Archpriest Alexander, in the recent past a naval officer, was from Sevastopol at the right time and in the right place.
For other foreign military bases, the issue is not resolved so easily. This is due to the fact that candidates need to leave the country for an indefinite period of time and be separated from their families. In parallel, questions arise about the organization of liturgical, educational activities and the life of the clergy. In addition, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation A.E. Serdyukov takes this instruction from the head of state very responsibly. He personally conducts the selection of candidates, and the requirements for objective data, professional qualifications and even availability life experience very high. If a priest joins a military team, he, of course, must be able to work effectively and solve specific problems with the commander, officers, soldiers, family members of military personnel, and civilian personnel.
— What are the specifics of the work of a military chaplain in general? Is it possible to formalize it somehow?
— Form is not an end in itself. We do not and will not set before the priest the task of conducting a certain number of soul-saving conversations, confessing and absolving the sins of so many repentant sinners, and serving, for example, five Liturgies in a month. To a greater extent than the forms of work that the priest uses, we are interested in the results, the impact of his activities.
The work of a priest in a compound can be roughly divided into two components. Firstly, this is his liturgical activity, which is regulated by the hierarchy and internal church regulations. Naturally, taking into account the conditions of service, combat training plans, combat readiness and current tasks.
Secondly, this is the participation of the priest in educational, educational and other social work. This area of activity should be more closely integrated into army life. The military team lives according to the daily routine, in accordance with combat training plans and training schedules. Therefore, when regulating the work of a military chaplain, it is necessary to strictly fit it into the army schedule. To do this, the priest must plan his activities together with the commander and his assistant for working with personnel. The commander has a combat training plan: exercises, field trips or sea voyages, cultural and leisure activities are planned. In addition, the command knows what spiritual and psychological problems exist in the army collective, where there is a problem with military discipline, tense relations have arisen between military personnel, there is a need to maintain peace in the families of military personnel, etc.
After the problems have been updated and areas of activity have been outlined, the commander says: “Father, dear, we have such and such tasks for moral education. How can you help? And the priest is already offering options. Let’s say he can take part in public and state training, give a lecture, hold a conversation in a team where there is hazing, work individually with a soldier who is “depressed,” etc. The forms of work of a priest can be very different, they are known. The main thing is that they serve to fulfill those tasks in the field of education, moral and spiritual enlightenment of military personnel, which they determined together with the commander. These decisions are formalized in the clergyman’s monthly work plan, which is approved by the commander.
— You talked about upbringing. Do the functions of the priest and the educational officer overlap in this case? IN Lately one often hears that, they say, the introduction of the institution of the military priesthood will cause mass dismissal educational officers.
- You're right, there are such rumors. They are caused by measures to optimize educational structures. At the same time, some positions are being eliminated. But I would like to remind you that “after that” does not at all mean “as a result of that.” To think that a military priest will take the place of an educator is a profanation of the very idea of introducing the institution of military and naval clergy in the Armed Forces. This creates a cause for confusion that needs to be disavowed. The functions of a priest and an educational officer do not exclude or replace, but harmoniously complement each other. The task of the first is to educate and configure people to perform combat missions using means and methods that have already proven their effectiveness. And the priest in this case brings a moral component to this work, enriches and makes the entire system of working with personnel more effective. This is what we want to achieve. And, as far as I can tell, for the most part, officers understand this very well.
— But in the Regulations adopted by the Ministry of Defense on the organization of work with religious military personnel, the responsibilities of a clergyman include strengthening discipline and crime prevention...
— In this case, one should not confuse the general ideological goals and objectives that face the commander, educator and priest, and the responsibilities of each party. The documents indicate the participation of the priest in educational work and moral education, as well as its forms in peace and war.
About forms in Peaceful time we already talked. I would also like to note that wartime has its own specifics. In conditions of warfare, human legal freedom is limited, everything is subordinated common goal. The commander makes a decision, primarily based on the task that the formation is solving. The principle of unity of command operates more strictly here; the commander’s orders are carried out unquestioningly. Based on the experience of past centuries, we can say that in a combat situation, the priest should be near the medical center as close as possible to the front line, provide assistance to the wounded, perform divine services and sacraments, and help overcome the consequences stressful situations, ensure a dignified burial of the dead and dead, write letters to the relatives of the wounded and killed soldiers. The personal example of the priest is of great importance here.
— If in the unit where the priest serves there is an Orthodox majority and some representatives of other religions, how should the priest behave with them? What to do with atheists?
— An atheist is a person who takes an active anti-God position. According to my observations, there are not many such people in the army. There are significantly more military personnel who simply do not feel like believers and do not “hear” their faith. But real actions show that they actually believe in something - some in a black cat, some in a flying vessel, some in the existence of some kind of absolute mind, etc. This means that to some extent they still live a unique spiritual life. And how to work with them should be suggested to the priest by his pastoral experience.
The same can be said for representatives of other religions. After all, an experienced priest can work not only with Orthodox Christians, but also with Muslims and Buddhists. He understands the essence of the problem, distinguishes Sunni from Shiite, knows many suras of the Koran, moral meaning which correlates with biblical maxims. Finally, he simply understands the soul of a person, especially a young person who is seeking. He can find an approach to both the believer and the heart of little faith. In addition, the priest must know in the places of deployment those clergymen of other faiths who, without prejudice to the cause, can be invited to meet with military personnel if necessary. In this sense, we take a tough position on only one thing: there should be no religious mission or discrimination on religious grounds in the army. We must not allow attempts to make a Muslim out of an Orthodox soldier and vice versa, so as not to create additional tensions. The main thing for us is spiritual enlightenment, moral education, ensuring the constitutional rights of military personnel and ensuring conscious motivation, a genuine attitude of people to fulfill their military duty.
— When should work with military personnel be carried out—on duty or off duty? What does the documents being developed say about this?
— Here it is impossible to comb all the formations where the positions of assistant commanders (chiefs) for working with religious servicemen have been introduced. For example, missilemen have intermittent combat duty: sometimes three days on duty, sometimes four. Sailors' watch changes on sea voyages every four hours. Motorized riflemen, tank crews and sappers can spend months in the field. Therefore, in the documents we prescribe only general principles. But at the same time, in the Regulations you mentioned, it is written that the unit commander must provide the priest with a workplace, as well as a place reserved for worship. This could be separate standing temple or a chapel or temple built into a building part. But there must be such a place. And at what time the priest will conduct his activities, he decides together with the commander, depending on the specific circumstances. The main thing is that all the activities of the priest: participation in public and state training, collective and individual conversations - be fixed in the general daily routine or class schedule.
— Who should be involved in the arrangement of the military temple - the priest or the command of the unit? Who allocates funds for the purchase of liturgical utensils, vestments and everything that is necessary for the performance of divine services?
— Formally, everything related to the acquisition of religious objects is the business of the Church. Who exactly - the priest himself, the military department or the diocese - is decided differently in each specific case. The Ministry of Defense budget does not provide for such expenses. The commander's responsibilities include determining the place where services can be performed, coordinating times with the priest, and assisting in organizing his activities. However, as practice shows, military personnel and members of their families willingly provide all possible assistance to the priest: they donate funds and help in whatever way they can. I know of cases where financial assistance to military churches was provided both by local authorities and wealthy people who had long ago lost their direct connection with the army.
— The system of subordination of the military priest raises questions. It turns out that he is subordinate to the commander, his diocesan bishop, the Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Institutions, and also coordinates his actions with the Right Reverend, in whose diocese the military unit in which the priest serves is located. Such a tangled ball.
— A military priest is first and foremost a man of the Church. And what his administrative subordination within the church organization will be should be determined by the hierarchy. In this case, I can only express my personal thoughts on this matter. A reasonable and logical system of intra-church subordination of military priests existed in the Russian army until on January 18, 1918, by order No. 39 of the RSFSR People's Commissar for Military Affairs N.I. Podvoisky, the service of military chaplains was abolished. Then there was a church vertical, headed by the protopresbyter of the army and navy.
Something similar could be done today. Moreover, there is already one, which is the highest administrative level in this area and effectively coordinates the actions of priests in the troops. For example, if a priest is now nominated for appointment to a position, it is the head of the “military” department who writes the proposal to the Minister of Defense. And subsequently, it is the department that resolves all organizational issues and perplexities that arise for the appointed priest, so in fact, the system already exists, it just needs to be improved. From the point of view of solving combat missions, from the position of the army command, the vertical of the military department may be the optimal form of organizing the activities of the military clergy within the Church. But it seems that even with vertical subordination, the bishop in whose diocese the military unit is located should be able to know that in a military church “the word of Truth is rightly governed.” Of course, how will all this be carried out in real life When we have the planned number of full-time military chaplains, experience will show.
— Usually a priest is assigned to one or another temple. But what if there is no full-fledged church in the unit?
— Each time this should be decided individually. Many military temples stand either in the unit or on the border between the unit and a civilian settlement. In this case, the priest can be assigned to this temple and he will work with both military personnel and the population. If a priest is sent to military base abroad or another closed military town where there is not yet a church, then for the time being it makes sense for him to legally remain in the diocese. It seems to me that in such circumstances the diocesan bishop could for some time continue to list him as a cleric of the church where the priest served before his appointment to the unit. At least until a religious building is built on the territory of the unit.
— Is it known today the number of churches and chapels located on the territory of military units?
“Right now we are completing an inventory of such religious objects located in the territories under the jurisdiction of the Russian Ministry of Defense. So far we have information about 208 churches and chapels of the Russian only Orthodox Church. There was no information about churches of other denominations. It is clear that such a number of structures require great attention. As part of the reform, the number of military camps and garrisons is being reduced. And you understand that if in the town subject to reduction there is a chapel or temple, then when the military leaves this territory, their fate may be unenviable. What to do with such a temple? This is a very serious matter. Currently, by decision of the Minister of Defense and His Holiness Patriarch A joint working group has been created, co-chaired by Secretary of State and Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation N.A. Pankov and Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate. The group included five specialists each from the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ministry of Defense. Its task is to form regulatory framework religious objects in the territories of the Ministry of Defense, as well as to establish their registration and further operation in accordance with the requirements of the law. The group held the first two meetings, at which, in particular, the tasks of registration and certification of religious objects were determined.
— As far as I understand, according to the employment contract concluded with a military chaplain, service in the unit is his main place of work.
- Absolutely right. The priest must spend the bulk of his working time in the unit. Of course, there should be no formalism. The commander and the priest together must determine the time the priest will be at the unit location and the form of his work. But if there is a church in the unit, then the priest can stay there most of the time, then the commander and everyone who wants to will know where they can come in their free moment to talk and receive spiritual consolation. In general, it goes without saying that the priest will be where he is most needed.
— How important is it for a military chaplain? personal experience military service?
— Of course, personal experience military service plays a significant role in the work of a military chaplain. Such a person, when concluding a contract, knows where he is going. He does not need much time to adapt to the team, he knows the terminology, is familiar with the specifics of the service, etc. It is clear, however, that we cannot insist that only former military personnel become military chaplains. One way or another, we plan to organize additional professional training for assistant commanders (chiefs) hired to full-time positions in working with religious servicemen. For this purpose, short-term courses will be organized on the basis of one of the capital’s universities.
The discussion around the creation of an institute of chaplains in the Russian army is growing. The rector of the Church of the All-Merciful Savior, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko, who heads the sector of the Synodal Department for interaction with the armed forces and law enforcement agencies, shared his point of view on the prospects for reforming relations between the army and the Church with observer Maria Sveshnikova.
“It seems to me that the bill itself lacks a constitutional basis,” says Father Alexander. – For example, from whom will the chaplain receive money? From the Ministry of Defense? This is a big question. It is also planned to assign the ranks of senior officers to priests, and sergeants to their assistants. If so, then it is completely unclear on what basis these titles will be awarded, whether representatives of the Church will take the military oath, and to whom they must obey - the clergy or the military authorities.
Further, as Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov said, the army will need 3.5 thousand priests, while now in the Russian Orthodox Church there are only a little more than 15 thousand. And it seems to me very problematic to remove three and a half thousand priests from parishes and send them to military units. Moreover, such a priest must have very deep special training for missionary and educational work in a military unit. In addition, there is a need to create programs, methodological and teaching aids, and develop courses for training military chaplains, after which they would be able to work in the troops.
Those who have encountered the structures of the armed forces understand that there are several levels in the army. Working with the rank and file is one thing, working with junior officers(they are young). And it’s completely different with the senior officer corps, where established people serve, as a rule, family, with extensive seniority and work experience. It is obvious that the approach to these audiences must be fundamentally different. This means that such preparation is required. It is also very important to think about how to make sure that the regimental priest does not appear to be in opposition. Or so that the officer environment does not find itself in opposition to him. Which is also understandable, since until now they lived and worked as they were taught, but suddenly a new person will appear in the unit who will say things that are unusual for them.
Moreover, in order to perceive what you are told about faith, you need the desire to believe. What if this desire is not there? It is obvious that a very serious revision of the entire existing system curricula and higher military educational institutions, so that graduates of these institutions can kindly and deeply perceive what the regimental priest will come to them with. So that they are like-minded people, not opponents.
The next thing that needs to be noted is that the sphere of application of the priest’s forces is important. In Orthodoxy, the center of gravity falls on worship and the Sacrament. Educational work is very important, but at first glance it is secondary, since it directly depends on liturgical life. And in order to establish liturgical life in units, it takes a lot of time.
Next, you need to think about allocating personal time for soldiers and officers who would like to contact the regimental priest. And here, too, a lot of preparatory work must be done so that those serving in the army respond in the same way as they responded during the times of Suvorov and Kutuzov. And even earlier, in the time of Dmitry Donskoy, when it was obvious to everyone that without God’s help it was impossible to achieve any success, and they went into battle, overshadowed by banners and icons.
Therefore, it seems to me that there should be a program on a national scale, and not just the Ministry of Defense or other power ministries, and not only the Russian Orthodox Church. Because the work of a very wide range of high-level specialists is required in order to review and supplement the educational work and educational requirements that are given to those who enter the military educational establishments. And here you need to be prepared for the fact that a lot of difficulties will arise: someone will not want to study these subjects, someone will say that they consider themselves to be a different religion or denomination.
It is also worth saying that the question will immediately arise that if Orthodox priests are allowed to serve in the army, clergy of other religions will also have to be allowed to serve. Then it is impossible to exclude the possibility that representatives of other religions will serve in the army. For example, Protestants who have great material resources, but are alien to the spiritual traditions of our people. This can have a serious negative impact on the psychological structure of military personnel, cause rejection, and a wave of discontent against any introduction, including Orthodox priests.
So the question of regimental priests is a delicate problem that needs to be resolved very delicately, without offending the feelings of believers and non-believers. And it’s worth immediately identifying what difficulties and obstacles we will have to face and how to overcome them.”
At all times of the existence of the Russian Orthodox Church, its the most important mission was service to the Fatherland. She contributed state association disparate Slavic tribes into a single power, and later had a decisive influence on the process of preserving national unity The Russian land, the integrity and community of the peoples living on it.
Before the establishment of a regular army in the Russian state, the responsibility for the spiritual care of military men was assigned to the court clergy. Therefore, it can be assumed that mid-16th century century, when a permanent Streltsy army was created in Muscovy, numbering 20-25 thousand people, the first military priests appeared (however, written evidence of this has not survived).
It is reliably known about the presence of military priests during the reign of Emperor Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (1645-1676). This is evidenced by the Charter of that time: “The teaching and cunning of the military formation of infantry people” (1647), in which the regimental priest was first mentioned and his salary was determined. From this time on, a system for managing the military clergy began to be created.
The further formation and improvement of the structure of the military clergy is associated with the reforms of Peter I. Thus, in the “Military Regulations” of 1716, the chapter “On the Clergy” first appeared, which determined the legal status of priests in the army, their responsibilities and main forms of activity:
“Military priests, being in unconditional subordination to the protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy, are obliged to carry out all legal orders of the immediate military superiors. Misunderstandings and disagreements arising between the military authorities and military priests in the performance of church and liturgical duties are resolved either by the dean, or the protopresbyter, or local bishop.
Priests are obliged without fail, at the hours assigned by the regiment or command, but within the limits of church service time, to perform Divine services in the regimental churches, according to the established rite, on all Sundays, holidays and highly solemn days. In fixed churches, Divine services are celebrated simultaneously with diocesan churches.
Military priests are required to perform sacraments and prayers for military ranks in the church and their homes, without demanding remuneration.
Military priests make every effort to form church choirs from military ranks and those studying in regimental schools to sing during Divine services, and capable members of the military ranks are allowed to read in the choir.
Military priests are obliged to conduct catechetical conversations in the church and, in general, teach soldiers the truths of the Orthodox faith and piety, applying them to the level of their understanding, spiritual needs and responsibilities military service, and the sick - to edify and console in the infirmary.
Military chaplains must teach the Law of God in regimental schools, soldiers' children, training teams and other parts of the regiment; with the consent of the military authorities, they can organize non-liturgical conversations and readings. In military units located separately from regimental headquarters, local parish priests are invited to teach the Law of God to the lower military ranks under conditions that the military commanders of those units find possible.
Military priests are obliged to protect military ranks from harmful teachings, eradicate superstitions in them, correct their moral shortcomings: to admonish, on the instructions of the regimental commander, vicious lower ranks, to prevent deviations from the Orthodox Church and, in general, to take care of the establishment of military ranks in faith and piety.
Military priests, by virtue of their rank, are obliged to lead their lives in such a way that military ranks see in them an edifying example of faith, piety, fulfillment of service duties, good family life And right relationship to neighbors, superiors and subordinates.
In view of mobilization and during hostilities, military priests should not be dismissed from their places without particularly valid reasons, but are obliged to follow their appointments with military ranks, be at the indicated places without leaving and be in unconditional obedience to the military authorities."
In the 18th century, the Church and the army formed a single organism under the auspices of the state; Orthodox paraphernalia permeated military rituals, service and the life of soldiers.
During the 18th century, the administration of the military clergy in peacetime was not separated from the diocesan administration and belonged to the bishop of the area where the regiment was stationed. The reform of the management of the military and naval clergy was carried out by Emperor Paul I. By decree of April 4, 1800, the position of the field chief priest became permanent, and the management of all the clergy of the army and navy was concentrated in his hands. The chief priest received the right to independently determine, transfer, dismiss, and nominate for awards the clergy of his department. Regular salaries and pensions were determined for military shepherds. The first chief priest, Pavel Ozeretskovsky, was appointed a member of the Holy Synod and received the right to communicate with the diocesan bishops on matters of personnel policy without reporting to the Synod. In addition, the chief priest received the right to personally report to the emperor.
In 1815, a separate department of the chief priest of the General Staff and Guard troops was formed (later including the grenadier regiments), which soon became virtually independent of the Synod in matters of management. Chief priests of the Guards and Grenadier Corps N.V. Muzovsky and V.B. The Bazhanov also headed the court clergy in 1835-1883 and were confessors to the emperors.
A new reorganization of the administration of the military clergy took place in 1890. Power was again concentrated in the person of one person, who received the title of Protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy. During the First World War, Protopresbyter G.I. Shavelsky was for the first time given the right of personal presence at a military council; the protopresbyter was directly at headquarters and, like the once first chief priest P.Ya. Ozeretskovsky, had the opportunity to personally report to the emperor.
The number of clergy in the Russian army was determined by the staff approved by the Military Department. In 1800, about 140 priests served in the regiments, in 1913 - 766. At the end of 1915, about 2,000 priests served in the army, which was approximately 2% of the total number of clergy in the empire. In total, during the war years, from 4,000 to 5,000 representatives of the Orthodox clergy served in the army. Many of them then, without leaving the flock, continued their service in the armies of Admiral A.V. Kolchak, Lieutenant General A.I. Denikin and P.N. Wrangel.
The duties of a military clergyman were determined, first of all, by the orders of the Minister of War. The main duties of a military clergyman were as follows: at times strictly appointed by the military command, to perform divine services on Sundays and holidays; by agreement with the regimental authorities, at a certain time, prepare military personnel for confession and reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ; perform sacraments for military personnel; manage a church choir; instruct military ranks in the truths of the Orthodox faith and piety; to console and edify the sick in faith, to bury the dead; teach the law of God and, with the consent of the military authorities, conduct non-liturgical conversations on this subject. The clergy had to preach “the word of God before the troops diligently and intelligibly... instill love for the faith, the sovereign and the Fatherland and confirm obedience to the authorities.”
The most important task solved by the military clergy was the education of spiritual and moral feelings and qualities in the Russian warrior. Make him a spiritual person - a person who performs his duties not out of fear of punishment, but out of the impulse of conscience and a deep conviction in the sanctity of his military duty. It cared about instilling among army and navy personnel the spirit of faith, piety and conscious military discipline, patience and courage, even to the point of self-sacrifice.
However, it was not only in the shadow of churches and in the silence of barracks that army and navy priests spiritually nourished their flock. They were next to the soldiers in battles and on campaigns, sharing with the soldiers and officers the joy of victories and the sorrow of defeats, the hardships of wartime. They blessed those going into battle, inspired the faint-hearted, consoled the wounded, advised the dying, saw off last way dead. They were loved by the army and needed by it.
History knows many examples of courage and dedication shown by military shepherds in the battles and campaigns of the Patriotic War of 1812. Thus, the priest of the Moscow Grenadier Regiment, Archpriest Miron of Orleans, walked under heavy cannon fire in front of the grenadier column in the battle of Borodino and was wounded. Despite the injury and severe pain, he remained in service and performed his duties.
An example of courage and devotion to duty in Patriotic War was the feat of another military shepherd, Ioannikiy Savinov, who served in the 45th naval crew. At the critical moment of the battle, Shepherd Ioannikis, wearing an epitrachelion, with a raised cross and loudly chanting a prayer, went into battle ahead of the soldiers. The inspired soldiers quickly rushed towards the enemy, who was in confusion.
Of the two hundred military shepherds who took part in the Crimean War, two were awarded the Order of St. George, IV degree; 93 shepherds - with gold pectoral crosses, including 58 people - with crosses on St. George's ribbon; 29 military priests were awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, III and IV degrees.
Military chaplains were faithful to the valiant traditions of the army and navy clergy in subsequent wars.
Yes, during Russian-Turkish war In 1877-1878, the priest of the 160th Abkhazian Infantry Regiment, Feodor Matveevich Mikhailov, especially distinguished himself. In all the battles in which the regiment took part, Feodor Matveevich was in front. During the storming of the Kars fortress, a shepherd with a cross in his hand and wearing an epitrachelion, being in front of the chains, was wounded, but remained in the ranks.
Military and naval clergy showed examples of heroism and courage during the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1906.
Protopresbyter tsarist army Georgy Shavelsky, who had extensive experience as a military priest during the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905, defines his role in peacetime this way: “At present, it is especially strongly recognized that the religious side has great value in the education of the Russian army, in the development of strong and mighty spirit Russian army and that the role of the priest in the army is a respectable and responsible role, the role of a prayer book, educator and inspirer of the Russian army." In wartime, Georgy Shavelsky emphasizes, this role becomes even more important and responsible, and at the same time more fruitful.
The tasks for the activities of a priest in wartime are the same as in peacetime: 1) the priest is obliged to satisfy the religious feeling and religious needs of soldiers, through the performance of divine services and services; 2) the priest must influence his flock with pastoral word and example.
Many priests, going to war, imagined how they would lead their students into battle under fire, bullets and shells. The First World War showed a different reality. The priests did not have to “lead troops into battle.” The killing power of modern fire has made daylight attacks almost unthinkable. Opponents now attack each other in the dead of night, under cover night darkness, without unfurled banners and without the thunder of music; They attack furtively, so as not to be noticed and swept off the face of the earth by the fire of guns and machine guns. During such attacks, the priest has no place either in front or behind the attacking unit. At night, no one will see him, and no one will hear his voice, once the attack begins.
Archpriest Georgy Shavelsky noted that with the change in the nature of the war, the nature of the priest’s work in the war also changed. Now the priest’s place during a battle is not in the battle line, stretched over a huge distance, but near it, and his job is not so much to encourage those in the ranks, but to minister to those who have dropped out of the ranks - the wounded and killed.
His place is at the dressing station; when his presence at the dressing station is not necessary, he must also visit the battle line in order to encourage and console those there with his appearance. Of course, there can be and have been exceptions to this situation. Imagine that the unit trembled and began to retreat randomly; the appearance of a priest at such a moment can make a big difference.
Before the First World War, the Russian military clergy worked without a plan or system and even without the necessary control. Each priest worked on his own, according to his own understanding.
The organization of management of the military and naval clergy in peacetime could not be considered perfect. At the head of the department was a protopresbyter, vested with full power. Under him there was a Spiritual Board - the same as the Consistory under the diocesan bishop. Since 1912, the protopresbyter was given an assistant, who greatly facilitated his clerical work. But neither the assistant nor the Spiritual Board could act as intermediaries between the protopresbyter and the clergy subordinate to him, scattered throughout Russia. Such intermediaries were divisional and local deans. There were at least a hundred of them, and they were scattered across different Russian corners. There were no opportunities for private and personal communication between them and the protopresbyter. Unifying their activities, directing their work and controlling them was not easy. The protopresbyter needed to have extraordinary energy and extraordinary mobility in order to personally and on the spot check the work of all his subordinates.
But this management design turned out to be imperfect. The beginning of the addition of the Regulations was given by the Emperor himself during the formation of the headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, who ordered the protopresbyter to be at this headquarters for the duration of the war. Further adjustments were made by the protopresbyter, who was granted the right to personally, without approval from higher authorities, establish new positions in the army in his department, if they did not require expenses from the treasury. Thus, the following positions were established: 10 garrison deans in points where there were several priests; 2 dean reserve hospitals, which positions were assigned to priests at army headquarters.
In 1916, with the Supreme approval, special positions of army preachers were established, one for each army, who were entrusted with the responsibility of continuously traveling around, preaching, the military units of their army. The most outstanding spiritual speakers were elected to the positions of preachers. The English Colonel Knox, who was at the headquarters of the Northern Front, considered the idea of establishing the positions of army preachers to be brilliant. Finally, the chief priests of the fronts were given the right to use priests at army headquarters as their assistants in monitoring the activities of the clergy.
Thus, the spiritual apparatus at the theater of military operations represented a harmonious and perfect organization: the protopresbyter, his closest assistants; chief priests, their assistants; staff chaplains; finally, divisional and hospital dean and garrison priests.
At the end of 1916, the highest command established the positions of chief priests of the Baltic and Black Sea fleets.
For better unification and direction of the activities of the clergy of the army and navy, from time to time, meetings of the protopresbyter with the main priests, the latter with staff priests and deans, and Congresses along the fronts, chaired by the protopresbyter or chief priests, were drawn up.
The First World War, as well as wars XIX century, gave many examples of the courage shown by military priests at the fronts.
During the Russian-Japanese War there were not even ten wounded and shell-shocked priests; in the First World War there were more than 400. More than a hundred military priests were captured. The capture of the priest indicates that he was at his post, and not in the rear, where there was no danger.
There are many other examples of the selfless activity of military priests during battles.
The differences for which priests could be awarded orders with swords or a pectoral cross on the St. George Ribbon can be divided into three groups. Firstly, this is the feat of the priest in the decisive moments of the battle with a cross in his raised hand, inspiring the soldiers to continue the battle.
Another type of distinction of a priest is associated with the diligent performance of his immediate duties in special conditions. Often clergy performed divine services under enemy fire.
And, finally, the clergy performed feats possible for all army ranks. The first pectoral cross received on the St. George Ribbon was presented to the priest of the 29th Infantry Chernigov Regiment John Sokolov for saving the regimental banner. The cross was presented to him personally by Nicholas II, as recorded in the emperor’s diary. Now this banner is kept in the State Historical Museum in Moscow.
The revival of the mission of the Orthodox clergy in the Armed Forces today becomes not only a concern for the future, but also a tribute grateful memory military chaplains.
The clergy quite successfully resolved issues of interreligious relations. In pre-revolutionary Russia, the entire life of a Russian person from birth to death was permeated with Orthodox teaching. The Russian Army and Navy were essentially Orthodox. The armed forces defended the interests of the Orthodox Fatherland, headed by the Orthodox Sovereign. But still, representatives of other religions and nationalities also served in the Armed Forces. And one thing was combined with another. Some ideas about religious affiliation personnel imperial army and the navy at the beginning of the 20th century provide the following information: At the end of 1913, there were 1,229 generals and admirals in the army and navy. Of these: 1079 Orthodox, 84 Lutherans, 38 Catholics, 9 Armenian Gregorians, 8 Muslims, 9 reformers, 1 sectarian (who joined the sect already as a general), 1 unknown. Among the lower ranks in 1901, 19,282 people were under arms in the Siberian Military District. Of these, 17,077 were Orthodox, 157 Catholics, 75 Protestants, 1 Armenian Gregorian, 1,330 Muslims, 100 Jews, 449 Old Believers and 91 idolaters (northern and eastern peoples). On average, in that period, Orthodox Christians made up 75% of the Russian Armed Forces, Catholics - 9%, Muslims - 2%, Lutherans - 1.5%, others - 12.5% (including those who did not declare their religious affiliation). Approximately the same ratio remains in our time. As noted in his report by the Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of Educational Work of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Rear Admiral Yu.F. Needs, of the believing military personnel, 83% are Orthodox Christians, 6% are Muslims, 2% are Buddhists, 1% each are Baptists, Protestants, Catholics and Jews, 3% consider themselves to be of other religions and beliefs.
IN Russian Empire relationships between religions were decided by law. Orthodoxy was state religion. And the rest were divided into tolerant and intolerant. Tolerant religions included traditional religions that existed in the Russian Empire. These are Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Catholics, Lutherans, Reformers, Armenian Gregorians. Intolerant religions mainly included sects that were completely prohibited.
The history of relations between faiths, like much else in the Russian armed forces, dates back to the reign of Peter I. During the time of Peter I, the percentage of representatives of other Christian denominations and nationalities in the army and navy increased significantly - especially Germans and Dutch.
According to Chapter 9 of the Military Regulations of 1716, it was prescribed that “Everyone who generally belongs to our Army, regardless of what faith or nation they are, should have Christian love among themselves.” That is, all disagreements on religious grounds were immediately suppressed by law. The charter obligated to treat local religions with tolerance and care, both in areas of deployment and on enemy territory. Article 114 of the same Charter read: “... priests, church servants, children, and others who cannot resist will not be offended or insulted by our military people, and churches, hospitals and schools will be greatly spared and will not be subjected to cruel corporal punishment.”
In the armed forces of those years, non-Orthodox people were mainly among the top ranks and even less among the middle command ranks. The lower ranks, with rare exceptions, were Orthodox. For non-Orthodox people, a Lutheran church was built in the house of Kotlin’s defense chief, Vice Admiral Cornelius Kruys, back in 1708. This church served as a meeting place not only for Lutherans, but also for Dutch reformers. Despite religious differences, they followed the instructions of the Lutheran preacher and adhered to Lutheran rituals. In 1726, already a full admiral and vice-president of the Admiralty Board, Cornelius Cruys wanted to build a Lutheran church, but illness and imminent death stopped his intentions.
An Anglican church was built in St. Petersburg for the English who served in the navy. Heterodox and heterodox churches were also built in other army and navy bases, for example in Kronstadt. Some of them were built directly on the initiative of the military and naval departments.
The Charter on Field and Cavalry Service of 1797 determined the order of military personnel for religious services. In accordance with the 25th chapter of this Charter, on Sundays and holidays, all Christians (both Orthodox and non-Orthodox) had to go to church in formation under the leadership of one of the officers. When approaching the Orthodox Church, a restructuring was carried out. Orthodox soldiers entered their church, while Catholics and Protestants continued to march in formation to their churches and churches.
When Vasily Kutnevich was chief priest of the army and navy, the positions of imams were established in military ports on the Black and Baltic seas in 1845. They were established in the ports of Kronstadt and Sevastopol - one imam and an assistant each, and in other ports - one imam, who was elected from the lower ranks with a state salary.
As noted above, in connection with the military reform carried out in the second half of the 19th century, all-class military service was introduced. The range of people recruited from different religions has expanded significantly. Military reform demanded a more attentive attitude to interreligious relations.
This issue became even more relevant after 1879, when Baptists and Stundists achieved the adoption of a law that equalized their rights with heterodox confessions. Thus, legally they became a tolerant religion. Baptists began to conduct enormous propaganda among military personnel. Counteraction to Baptist propaganda lay solely on the shoulders of the military clergy, who had help from the state only if this propaganda clearly contradicted state laws.
The military clergy faced a difficult task - to prevent religious differences from developing into contradictions. Military personnel of different faiths were told literally the following: “... we are all Christians, Mohammedans, Jews, together at the same time we pray to our God, therefore the Lord Almighty, who created heaven, earth and everything on earth, is for us the one, true God.” And these were not just declarations; such fundamentally important guidelines were statutory norms.
The priest was supposed to avoid any disputes about faith with people of other faiths. The set of military regulations of 1838 stated: “Regimental priests should not enter into debates about faith with people of another confession.” In 1870, in Helsingfors, a book by the dean of the headquarters of the troops of the Finnish Military District, Archpriest Pavel Lvov, “Memorial Book on the Rights and Responsibilities of the Army Clergy,” was published.
In particular, in Chapter 34 of this document there was a special section called “On the prevention and suppression of crimes against the rules of religious tolerance.” And the military clergy made every effort at all times to prevent religious conflicts and any infringement of the rights and dignity of adherents of other faiths in the troops.
During the First World War, due to the presence of representatives of other religions in the Armed Forces, Protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy Georgy Ivanovich Shavelsky, in circular No. 737 dated November 3, 1914, addressed the Orthodox military priests with the following appeal: “... I earnestly ask the clergy of the current army to avoid, if possible, any religious disputes and denunciations of other faiths, and at the same time ensure that brochures and leaflets containing harsh expressions addressed to Catholicism, Protestantism and other confessions do not end up in the field and hospital libraries for military ranks, since such literary works may offend the religious feelings of those belonging to these confessions and embitter them against the Orthodox Church, and in military units sow hostility harmful to the cause. The clergy laboring on the battlefield has the opportunity to confirm the greatness and rightness of the Orthodox Church not with a word of denunciation, but with the deed of Christian selfless service to both Orthodox and non-Orthodox, remembering that the latter shed blood for the Faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland and that we have one Christ with them , one Gospel and one baptism, and not missing an opportunity to serve the healing of both their spiritual and physical wounds." Article 92 of the Charter of the Internal Service read: "Although the Orthodox faith is dominant, non-Orthodox people enjoy everywhere the free exercise of their faith and worship according to its rituals." In the Naval Regulations of 1901 and 1914, in the 4th section: "On the order of service on a ship", it was said: "Infidels of Christian confessions perform public prayers according to the rules of their faith, with the permission of the commander, in the place appointed by them, and if possible, simultaneously with the Orthodox Divine service. During long voyages, they retire, if possible, to their church for prayer and fasting" (Article 930). Article 931 of the Naval Charter allowed Muslims to pray on Fridays, and Jews on Saturdays: "If there are Muslims or Jews on the ship , they are allowed to read public prayers, according to the rules of their faith and in places designated by the commander: for Muslims - on Fridays, and for Jews - on Saturdays. This is also allowed for them on their main holidays, during which they are, if possible, released from service and sent ashore." Attached to the regulations were lists of the most significant holidays of each faith and religion, not only Christians, Muslims and Jews, but even Buddhists and Karaites. On these holidays, representatives of these confessions were supposed to be exempt from military service. Article 388 of the Internal Service Charter read: “Jews, Mohammedans and other non-Christians in the military, on days of special worship performed according to their faith and rituals, may be exempted from official duties and, if possible, from the outfits in the unit. For the schedule of holidays, see the Appendix." On these days, the commanders necessarily granted leave for non-religious people outside the unit to visit their churches.
Thus, representatives of tolerant religions, both Christian and non-Christian, were allowed to pray according to the rules of their faith. For this purpose, the commanders allocated them specific place and time. The organization of religious services and prayers by non-religious people was enshrined in organizational orders for the unit or ship. If there was a mosque or synagogue at the point of deployment of a unit or ship, the commanders, if possible, released non-religious people there for prayers.
By the beginning of the 20th century, in ports and large garrisons, in addition to the Orthodox clergy, there were military priests of other confessions. These are, first of all, Catholic chaplains, Lutheran preachers, evangelical preachers, Muslim imams and Jewish rabbis, and later also Old Believer priests. The military Orthodox clergy treated representatives of other faiths with a sense of tact and due respect.
History does not know a single fact when any conflicts in the Russian Army or Navy arose on religious grounds. Both during the war with Japan and in the war with Germany, the Orthodox priest, the mullah, and the rabbi successfully collaborated.
Thus, it can be noted that only at the beginning of the 20th century such a military-religious service was formed in the Russian army, which we often refer to when referring to its history.
In the first place among the many tasks solved by the military clergy was the desire to cultivate spiritual and moral strength in the Russian warrior, to make him a person imbued with a true Christian mood, performing his duties not out of fear of threats and punishment, but out of conscience and deep conviction in the sanctity of his duty. It took care of instilling in the troops the spirit of faith, piety and military discipline, patience, courage and self-sacrifice.
In general, the staffing and official structure of the military and naval clergy, as historical experience shows, made it possible to successfully carry out work on the religious education of military personnel in the troops, to study and quickly influence moral condition troops, strengthen their reliability.