OCU Primate calls on MPs to pass military chaplaincy bill

The Armed Forces of Ukraine have more than a hundred chaplains of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine among their staff. Metropolitan Epifaniy has reported this according to Pryamyy TV Channel.

“Today we have more than a hundred chaplains, which are officially employed in the Ukrainian army and take spiritual care of our servicemen. In the face of death, there are no atheists, almost every service person needs this spiritual communication with a chaplain priest,” the Metropolitan said.

Epifaniy noted that Ukraine plans to introduce the chaplaincy at the state level, which should guarantee the social protection of the chaplains. “We are now drafting the relevant bill. We hope that Verkhovna Rada will support it and will be able to provide certain levels of social protection to the chaplains,” added the Primate of the OCU.