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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 the soldiers to fight for their Fatherland, but also with weapons in their hands on the front line, as in the war with Napoleon’s army and 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 internal troops 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 unit command, 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 church calendar and the specific needs of a particular part. 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 of 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 , 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.

“For a soldier, a father is a 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 switched to 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 it’s done, at the command of the pike! 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 the spiritual care of the district command staff, 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 always 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 last 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. Everyone can manage their personal time as they wish. 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 to himself good relations and can resolve some of his own spiritual issues.

It is, of course, easier to serve in a unit. Now our parish of St. Hermogenes is building a temple on the territory of the part in the name of the heavenly patrons of the 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 the specific 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 park under open air. 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 high offices and big bosses, busy with important government 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 with them mutual language. 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. You must try to be necessary and useful to the extent that these busy people are ready to perceive 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.

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 of the 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 developed on the basis of modern legislation in the interests of cooperation between 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 all personnel, while, by the way, greatest number believers - 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 was also taken into account that, in particular, the Russian Orthodox Church, like other traditional religious associations in Russia, having 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. The central office of the Russian Ministry of Defense has created a department for working with religious military personnel, which I head. In four military districts, departments are formed within the personnel departments, the staff of which, in addition to the chief - a civilian - includes three clergy. 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 the 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 selects candidates, and the requirements for objective data, professional qualifications and even life experience are very high. If a priest joins a military team, he, of course, must be able to work effectively, solve specific problems with the commander, officers, soldiers, family members of military personnel, 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 military priesthood will cause a massive dismissal of 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.

We have already talked about forms in peacetime. 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, the moral meaning of 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. For us, the main thing 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 only write general principles. But at the same time, in the Regulations you mentioned it is written that the unit commander must provide the priest with workplace, as well as a place reserved for worship. It can be a free-standing temple or a chapel, or a temple built into the building of a 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 when material assistance was provided to military churches and local authorities, and wealthy people who have long 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 can be optimal shape 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 a 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 Orthodox Church alone. 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 the Patriarch, a joint working group has been created, co-chaired by the 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 a regulatory framework for religious objects in the territories of the Ministry of Defense, as well as to establish their accounting 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 employment contract, which is 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 personal experience of military service for a military chaplain?

— Of course, personal experience of 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.

We are looking forward to joining our ranks

Archpriest Dmitry Solonin, head of the sector for interaction with Ground forces Synodal Department, assistant to the head of the Military University for work with religious servicemen:

It is quite obvious that not only the past five years, but also all previous centuries of interaction between traditional religions and the army have had, are and will have beneficial influence and effect. Our mission is extremely important. The military clergy actually absorbs the most trained and motivated priests, and in their places they produce results. According to reviews from commanders, heads of military units and units, heads of military universities (more recently), our work is characterized as creative, positive, contributing to the strengthening of the Armed Forces. There is only one conclusion that can be summed up – the result is positive.

We look to the future with hope and hope that the status of the military priest in the troops will change. The status of civilian personnel does not correspond to our level, because a military priest is in any conditions next to the troops he cares for, and is exposed to dangers - both in the North Caucasus and in any other “hot” spots. However, he does not have any social guarantees, payments and preferences that military personnel have. In this regard, not only me, but all military chaplains are convinced of the need to work on the issue of changing the status of a military chaplain.

Since the vast majority of military chaplains are married, they must be confident for their families, confident that in the event of an emergency - injury or death - the families will be protected.

What else can I say? Everything else moves forward, develops, and it depends on us how successful this interaction will be, because personality plays a very important role. In terms of percentage, the distribution is such that sometimes there may be one clergyman for several thousand personnel. Imagine, this person must be bright, charismatic, the person must be highly educated and confirm his faith with his whole life, otherwise everything beautiful words will be useless. This is extremely important. I think all fathers cope. We are looking forward to joining our ranks.

Perhaps, after all, it will be decided to open courses for military clergy at seminaries, so that already from the seminary bench the priest begins to prepare, is formed and the output is a finished result. This is very important, I think.

A very big step has been made in five years

Archpriest Alexander Bondarenko, assistant to the commander of the Black Sea Fleet for work with religious servicemen:

In five years, a very big step has been taken towards the revival of the military clergy. Many full-time positions have been introduced; military clergy work with the military on a regular basis. The clergy of the Black Sea Fleet sail on warships in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. In addition, they not only provide care for military personnel, but also carry out a diplomatic mission. When ships call at the ports of other states, the activities of military clergy also contribute to the establishment of diplomatic relations with Russia. With Greece, for example, we participate in joint events dedicated to the day of Theodore Ushakov in Corfu, where our clergy takes part in worship in Greek temples, religious processions and prayer services.

The cruiser "Moscow" is equipped with a camp temple. When the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet calls at the ports of other states, the leadership of these cities or countries always visit the ship’s temple and, seeing the attitude of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to faith, to God, they understand that we bring love and strive for peace. Thus, their attitude towards the Russian Federation and the Armed Forces is changing.

Five years is not only about summing up results, but also about plans for the future. Today we should not stop developing. If 10 years ago we visited military units on holidays and held conversations, now a priest should be at least in every brigade, meet with personnel every day, I believe, even in every regiment and on every ship of the 1st rank, and must constantly participate V field trips, exercises, ships going to sea. We have ships of the Black Sea Fleet constantly in the Mediterranean Sea, providing security there, displaying the St. Andrew's flag and, of course, priests create the opportunity to fulfill the religious needs of military personnel who have been cut off from home for a long time. If a brigade has a clergyman who can regularly go to sea, this is already a positive factor, but this issue has not yet been resolved in all brigades; this is one of the prospects for development.

First of all, you need to work with the officers

Archpriest Viktor Luzgan, assistant commander of the Engel Long-Range Aviation airbase:

The main purpose of the priest is to give the opportunity, first of all, to conscripts, who, due to the performance of their duty, are physically separated from civilian free life, to satisfy their religious needs. In fact, this task is deeper - it is strengthening the spirit of the military, this is work with both officers and family members - this is complex work.
As for these five years, the purely psychological obstacles between military personnel and the clergy have practically been overcome. There are many cliches and misunderstandings left, but they do not see us as an extraneous link, but really see us as helpers, they even internally feel the effective help of interaction - this is the most important achievement. New forms of work are emerging. In our connection, a year ago I began to practice a new event. At the formation of an air force, when the entire composition is present, the Russian anthem sounds, the flag is raised, the task for the week is set, I perform a prayer service for the beginning of a good deed and bless the military personnel for the coming week, sprinkling them with holy water. Thus, joint prayer occurs. This tradition began with an accident when a pilot died; now it was decided not to “hit the tails” when trouble happened, but to precede the work with a prayer to God so that this trouble would not happen. This tradition appeared in addition to the long-standing ones - the consecration of aircraft, equipment, weapons, living quarters, blessings, visiting churches, participating in festive events, holding conversations, both collective and individual. Months are held to strengthen friendship in the team, to counter the use of drugs and alcoholic beverages, and to counter suicide. These problems are especially typical for contract servicemen, who often join the army because they are unsettled in civilian life.

Often, full-time psychologists who work in units cannot help military personnel who find themselves in difficult circumstances. Then they bring military personnel to our temple.

I have been working with military personnel for eleven years and am convinced that first of all we need to work with officers. In Long-Range Aviation we have a commander who is a believer, he goes in the vanguard, and his subordinates adapt, try - visit the temple, partake of the sacraments of the Church. Everything is built on a voluntary basis. If leaders are believers, then subordinates, willy-nilly, will follow their example. This is true in the army.

There are, of course, a lot of difficulties. The main problem is staffing. There are not enough priests at all, and military clergy, as a rule, requires the best priests available. No bishop wants to give up priests. Now the Patriarch has blessed the monastics to participate in this work; this, of course, will bring a new spirit. I think all this will develop, deepen, and take completed forms.

The spirit of a warrior determines a lot. At one time I read a book about Suvorov and was amazed by one fact. During the French campaign, when crossing the Alps, the Russians were the attacking side, and according to military tactics, the attacking side usually loses 3-4 times more personnel than the defending side. So the losses on the part of the Russian troops in relation to the French were 1:17. That is, for every Russian there were 17 French killed. This is what fighting spirit means.

The military clergy is a special cohort to work among the military - you need to love them. They sense falsehood very keenly and do not accept strangers. I served 23 years in the Armed Forces, and when I became a priest, I had a desire to return to the army and help military personnel find faith. I started from scratch - I organized a parish in the garrison, built a church, now we have a large Sunday school - 150 people, a kindergarten is coming soon.

I hardly ever leave the barracks

Priest Ilya Azarin, assistant to the head of the State Center for Aviation Personnel Training and Military Testing named after V. Chkalov (Lipetsk):

I have been in this position for three years. The results are visible, people are changing, and the command staff is changing, there is less swearing, and this is a big shift. They already understand that this is a sin. And if the command staff understands that this is a sin, then they will tell their soldiers that they cannot say that. This became possible after the priest began working in the army.

There are many people who want to ask a question, but no one to answer. After I was appointed assistant to the head of the Lipetsk Aviation Center, a person appeared who could answer. The desire to acquire religious knowledge has intensified today. It is necessary to explain to those approaching the sacraments of Baptism and Wedding the meaning of what is happening. After all, the priest has no right to perform the sacraments if people proceed thoughtlessly. The main task of a priest in the army is that he must monitor the moral character of servicemen and do everything to ensure a normal life, since our educational structure has not yet found its feet, we have to somehow replace it. As for me, I hold cultural events for soldiers and officers - both secular and church. In our aviation regiment, a temple appeared in honor of the patron of the Air Force, the prophet Elijah. The parishioners are mainly conscripted military personnel.

One of the tasks for the future is the creation of another temple - in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Blessed Heaven” on the territory of the military camp. My initiative was supported by the commander and military personnel. Not everyone in life has the opportunity to build a temple, and for the military personnel of our garrison such obedience was determined. There are people to build a church for, there are veterans, whose ranks are thinning every year and who are buried in the officers’ church. If there is a temple, a native one, and even a military one, in the creation of which they also take part, a global motivation appears here. There are a negligible number of residents who are against the construction of the temple, but veterans convince them of the need to solve this problem. Even the general, the head of the aviation center, Alexander Nikolaevich Kharchevsky, said that there should be a Sunday school and a military-patriotic club at the church.

Completing these tasks does not detract from the importance of current tasks. Now a new addition is arriving, they need help getting back into line. They see that the priest is working, i.e. psychologically they are already calm. I practically never leave the barracks; I’ll tell you what you need, I’ll tell you. In addition, there is work in the moral aspect and spiritual and psychological support - pilgrimages, excursion trips, organizing concerts.

Who are military chaplains? What “hot spots” do they serve in and how do they live? Archpriest Sergius Privalov, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces, spoke about the role military clergy play in conflict areas and how they help soldiers in the “Image” program in Constantinople.

What is special about military priests?

Veronica Ivashchenko: First, let me ask: what role do clergymen play in armed forces today? Russian forces?

Sergiy Privalov: The role has always been high. This role is to bring a spiritual component to serving the Fatherland.

Currently, a military priest is, on the one hand, the same priest as in the parish. But there is one, probably the most fundamental difference. He is ready to be with the military personnel. He is ready to be with those who defend our Fatherland, our Motherland, our original traditions, our spiritual life. And in this case, the clergyman becomes not only one of those who defend with weapons. But he brings a spiritual meaning to this armed defense.

Extra strength.

Not only additional spiritual strength, but, on the other hand, also a moral component. Because a clergyman is a person who has a calling from God. He introduces humanization and understanding into the military formation of the service to which military personnel are called. People with weapons - for them this is responsible obedience. And the use of this most perfect weapon today should be in clean hands, with a moral tuning fork in the soul of every person. And this, first of all, is characteristic of what a clergyman brings to the army.

Orthodox priests in Syria

Father Sergius, our military personnel are now participating in hostilities in Syria. Tell me, somehow, in these difficult conditions, are Orthodox priests spiritually caring for them?

Yes. Divine services are held almost daily. At the Khmeimim air base, a full-time military chaplain is present with the military personnel. Moreover, in big holidays, great holidays, the Russian Orthodox Church sends additional clergy and choristers to participate in services not only at the Khmeimim airbase, but also at the Tartus naval base.

In Khmeimim, just recently, the consecration of an Orthodox chapel in honor of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious took place. And the temple in Tartus should soon be consecrated in honor of the holy righteous warrior Fyodor Ushakov. Here are the bishops, both Tartu and the bishop who covers the Antiochian Patriarchate with an omophorion and, in particular, the air base in Khmeimim, blessed the construction of Orthodox church ecclesiastical buildings. And just recently we took part with Bishop Anthony of Akhtubinsky and Enotaevsky in the consecration of this chapel. The entire staff was present at the consecration.

That's why the priests are nearby. The priests are inside military formations, they are together with the military personnel, even in these so-called “hot spots”.

Our main weapon is prayer

Father Sergius, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill recently spoke about the ideal of a Christ-loving army, citing the example of the war in the Middle East. Is it really impossible to fight this very terrible enemy only with the help of weapons?

Certainly. That is why the Russian Orthodox Church prays. Our most important weapon is prayer. And the more followers there are Christian faith in the world, the purer, the more spiritual, the more peaceful humanity will become.

Therefore, the religion of love, Christianity, is a potential that people should resort to. They must compare other religions, and, first of all, those people who reject religion altogether and want to be the so-called. atheists. Or those who choose the path of pseudo-religion, terrorism. In this case, Christianity reveals the meaning and the basis to which one must resort in order to win the spiritual battle. In this case, prayer should be the natural state of the soul of an Orthodox warrior.

And perhaps this is why the demand for military chaplains is growing so much?

Of course, and especially in “hot spots”. When people feel that not only the force of arms is needed. You need confidence in your actions. You need confidence in the correctness of your service. Inside a military unit, formations. And the most important thing is that people, turning to Christ, receive this help. Many people put on Orthodox crosses for the first time. Many are baptized. Many come to confession and holy communion for the first time. This is, in fact, a joyful event for the clergy.

There are now about 170 full-time military chaplains

Tell me, how many military priests are there now?

There are currently about 170 military clergy. These are the ones who are regularly appointed. And more than 500 in various capacities, we call them freelance military clergy, serve in military units. He came periodically, performed divine services, and cared for his flock.

Tell me, can they be called chaplains, is this correct?

Well, in the Russian Orthodox Church the word "chaplain" is more associated with Catholicism or Protestantism. And in our everyday life they are sometimes called chaplains. Which may not be entirely correct, but there is a tendency to call military clergy the same as they are uniformly called in the West. But I think that every military clergyman, of course, does not change his spiritual inner content because of this.

Please tell us what are the requirements for their selection? Do they participate in military exercises with regular military personnel?

Firstly, the selection is quite tough. First of all, it concerns spiritual education. That is, we select those clergy who have enough high level both spiritual and secular education. The second criterion is skills to work in a military environment. That is, they must have experience in pastoral service and care for military units. And third, of course, is health. That is, a person must be ready for this service, he must express a desire to undergo the appropriate selection through the Ministry of Defense, in personnel bodies. And only after this, and on the recommendation of the ruling bishop of his diocese, is he considered by the Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces. And this decision is approved by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation.

By the way, what are the most pressing issues in your department right now?

I would not say that some issues are particularly acute and we are not able to solve them. That is, everything that is happening today is a solvable problem.

Of course, one of these problems is the personnel composition of military clergy. We have 268 full-time positions, and so far 170 have been appointed. Therefore, in distant regions, in the north, the Far East, the full-time positions of military clergy are not yet fully staffed. And then an appropriate basis for spiritual enlightenment must be formed. That is, we really want the priest to be heard, so that the appropriate time and place are allocated where the priest talks about Christ, about the spiritual foundations of military service to the Fatherland. For this, we still need to go through a lot in the military environment, to ensure that we are understood, heard and given such an opportunity. Not only, as some say, with each soldier individually, but also with large units at the same time.

From officers to military chaplains

Father Sergius, many military priests were officers in the past, including you, right?

Right.

Please tell us, does it often happen that military men become priests?

Well, firstly, a person who himself has come to know Christ, he can no longer help but talk about him. If a person was previously in an officer position, then he understands that the next stage of his service is to carry the word of God already in the priesthood. But, again, among those whom he knows best and is best oriented in a given situation within military units.

And therefore, the percentage of those who were previously officers, or completed military service, perhaps as contract soldiers, is quite high. But this is not the only and correct criterion for selecting military priests. Because there are military clergy who have never even served in the army.

But at the same time, in spirit and with their love, they are so close to the military units and to those guys who serve in the troops that they have acquired such authority. They truly became fathers to these military guys. Therefore, here we need to look at the spiritual calling. And the Lord himself calls. And if so, then a person cannot help but serve his neighbor. And who needs it most? Of course, the military. Because for them Christ is protection. For them, Christ is their support. For them, the Savior is the goal of life. Because it is precisely when they are inside in such difficult conditions that they turn to God sincerely. And in this case, the priest should be nearby. He must support the children with his prayer, and, first of all, spiritually instruct them.

More and more believers among the military

How do priests influence the relationships between military personnel? Maybe the situation with hazing has changed, do they affect moral development?

Probably, the most important thing is that a person’s attitude to society, to the world, to himself and to religion, in principle, has changed. That is, the number of believers and who consciously say that they are Orthodox, you spoke about 78%, now the percentage is even higher, more than 79%.

And the most important thing is that the guys, the military personnel, are not afraid to profess their faith. They consciously cross themselves, go to churches, and participate in divine services. This is probably the most important thing that happened with the arrival or participation of clergy in military units.

The second is a change in the internal climate inside military units. Military discipline has changed, or even improved. I think that in many ways these questions, of course, are not only for priests, and it is their merit that hazing is coming to naught. Firstly, these are very correct and competent decisions of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Kuzhegetovich Shoigu. And hazing itself, which involves a two-year conscription, when some are senior and junior in relation to other military personnel - this artificial division led to conflicts.

Now this is not the case. All serve only one year. This time. And secondly, the tasks that the armed forces solve have become, first of all, combat ones. People are being prepared for war. And therefore they try to treat their service accordingly. Exercises, transfers, regroupings.

This all suggests that there is no time to engage in any kind of hazing. It is clear that anything can happen. But in better side the attitude of man to man within the military collective changes. Because they are now doing their duty. Sometimes away from their native land. And very often with the participation of serious events that require concentration, the brotherly shoulder of your colleague. All this, well, taken together, naturally improves the situation inside military units. And the priests are always nearby.+

That is, during field exercises, they go out with the military personnel, set up their tents, temple-tents, and try to pray with them. That is, this is, in fact, the real combat work of a military clergyman.

At all times of the existence of the Russian Orthodox Church, its most important mission was service to the Fatherland. She contributed to the state unification of disparate Slavic tribes into a single power, and later had a decisive influence on the process of preserving the national unity of 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 by the middle of the 16th 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 obliged to perform sacraments and prayers for military ranks in the church and their homes, without demanding remuneration for this.

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 correct relationships with 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, and saw off the dead on their last journey. 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.

From among two hundred military shepherds - participants 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.

Thus, during the Russian-Turkish war of 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 is of great importance in the education of the Russian army, in the development of a strong and the mighty spirit of the 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 the cover of 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 centuries, 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 of them. 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 awarded to the priest of the 29th Chernigov Infantry Regiment, Ioann 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 to the grateful memory of military priests.

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 the religious affiliation of the personnel of the imperial army and 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 the 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 were mainly among senior management and even less among middle management. 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 required greater attention 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 can offend the religious feelings of those belonging to these confessions and embitter them against the Orthodox Church, and sow hostility in military units that is detrimental 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 their spiritual and physical wounds." Article 92 of the Charter internal service read: "Although Orthodox faith dominant, but Gentiles, heterodox people everywhere enjoy the free exercise of their faith and worship according to its rites." 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 rules of their faith, with the permission of the commander, in the place appointed by him, and, if possible, simultaneously with Orthodox worship. 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, the commanders allocated them a certain 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 in the troops on the religious education of military personnel, study and quickly influence the morale of the troops, and strengthen their trustworthiness.