Center of Military Chaplaincy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Center of Military Chaplaincy (Ukrainian: Центр Військового Капеланства) is a Ukrainian religious organization within the Curia of Lviv Archeparchy of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church that works directly with Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Center of Military Chaplaincy provides counseling and pastoral care to officers, soldiers and their families.
The headquarters of the Center of Military Chaplaincy of the Curia of Lviv Archeparchy of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church are located in Lviv, Ukraine. This organization is directly associated with the Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church (Lviv). The center of Military Chaplaincy was created as an outcome of free will of faithful citizens, who share Christian values of the Catholic Church and want to fulfill the spiritual needs of military personnel and their family members. The goals of the chaplains of the Center of Military Chaplaincy are to provide pastoral care to Ukrainian officers, soldiers and their families as well as to peacekeepers stationed abroad in foreign countries. The founder of Center of Military Chaplaincy is the Curia of Lviv Archeparchy of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. The Center of Military Chaplaincy actively cooperates with foreign catholic organizations and takes part in international pilgrimages.
History
The foundations for creating the Center of Military Chaplaincy were laid out from the cooperation of seminarians of the Holy Spirit Greek-Catholic Seminary,[1] the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and the Army Academy of Hetman Petro Sahajdachnyj.[2]
In the fall of 2000, the chapel of the Army Academy opened its doors to prayer as part of the celebrations for the centennial anniversary of Galician Officers. On November 18, 2000 the chapel received its spiritual patron – Archangel Michael, and was blessed by bishops of five traditional churches of Ukraine (UGCC, UOC MP, UOC KP, UAOC, RCC) and transferred to the spiritual care of the Holy Spirit Greek-Catholic Seminary.
In August 2002 with the blessing of his beatitude Lubomyr Husar, the seminarians together with the military personnel started the renovation of the former military chapel, which lasted for 3 years. A two tier iconostasis and a presbytery were constructed, the choir was decorated by frescoes by artist Volodymyr Shynin. A seven meters tall stained glass artwork showing the patron of the chapel Archangel Michael was installed in the presbytery (author Olga Chorna). The icons above the altar and inside the iconostasis were painted by Volodymyr Sykuta.
On November 20, 2005, the renovated chapel, its altar and iconostasis were consecrated by Archbishop of Lviv Ihor Voznyak.
