Is the chaplain a shepherd or a warrior?

The chaplain is primarily a clergyman, that is, a person clothed with spiritual dignity. And if he feels a calling "in the world", then the priest has the opportunity to combine these paths.

Who are the chaplains?

The legend says that St. Martin of Tours insevere frosts, suffering from the cold, gave half of his vestments to the begging beggar, so that he would not freeze, and thereby saved his life. At night, the bishop had a vision that with his clothes he warmed Jesus Christ in the guise of a beggar. Since then, part of his vestments have become one of the Christian shrines, especially revered by the kings of France. They took her on hikes, erecting a special marching temple (Latin Capella) for conducting worship services en route. The priest, who was at the chapel, eventually became known as the chaplain.

What did the chaplain do in the Roman Catholic Church?

In past centuries, the duties of a clergymanThis rank was quite extensive. Initially, the chaplain is a priest accompanying the army of the French king on a march. Over time, this term began to be used much broader. So began to call all people of spiritual dignity, who did not live in a monastery, and engaged in some secular activity. As a rule, it was associated with the teaching and duties of personal secretaries of noble and wealthy citizens. In Medieval Europe, one of the functions of the Roman Catholic Church was to control the dissemination and preservation of knowledge. All sciences, exact and humanitarian, developed only in monasteries, and people received education in several universities, lectures in which the monks read. Gradually, the concept of "chaplain" in the Roman Catholic Church united all the clergy at the house chapels of the aristocracy, as they, in addition to worship services, taught children literacy, and often also treated patients in the estate.

Serving chaplains in the army

At the present time,the post of chaplain in the army. Originally a chaplain was called a priest when the army. Then the concept became wider, but it was there that the chaplains were always in demand. Soldiers are people with weapons in their hands, and they need a spiritual shepherd who will resolve doubts at a difficult moment. A priest in the army never takes up arms, does not participate in battles. Also, he does not in any way give a blessing to the war. The chaplain is a pastor and his mission is not to let a person forget about compassion, morality and conscience in a difficult situation. He helps the believing wounded to reconcile with God, and also performs services for the dead soldiers.

Other ways of serving the chaplains

Not all priests who have worldly duties,serve in the army. The chaplain is a priest at the hospital, a teacher of the parish school, a Christian psychologist at the university. In any field of activity related to helping people, their work is in demand. In our time religion in most countries is separated from the state, citizens are given freedom of religion, including no prohibition of atheism. This means that the state does not contain official clerical posts. But a person can feel the need for God at any time in his life. And the chaplain is an opportunity to approach him for those who can not visit the temple for various reasons. For example, prisoners do not have a parish in prisons, but in many prisons there are chapels where one can come to confession. Also chaplains support different volunteer movements in different forms. It can be a seminar or lecture for its participants, accompanying them in a dangerous service, connected with the risk to life. As a rule, the chaplain is an official representative of the Christian church, and his presence also expresses support for any undertaking. This raises the authority of the organization, draws the attention of believers to its problems. Often they take upon themselves the burden of talking between adversaries in local conflicts.

The chaplain is a priest who understands the worldlyhuman needs. His goal in any situation is to highlight the main thing - the moral aspect of the problem that a person trying to solve is not always close to religion. And regardless of religion, never refuse to help. For example, the military chaplain - an Orthodox priest - will always listen and help to understand the problem that has arisen, and a Muslim and an atheist, if he is to seek advice and support.