Ukrainian military chaplain: Bringing God into darkness of war
By Svitlana Dukhovych
"Being alongside the military to make God present among us, in the darkness of war."
This is how Father Andriy Zelinskyy, SJ, Deputy Head of the Military Chaplaincy Department at the Curia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, described his mission to Vatican News.
He was visiting Rome to participate in the meeting of military ordinaries and chaplaincy leaders organized by the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) from February 6 to 8, before joining the events of the Jubilee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Security on February 9.
"In order not to lose hope in the darkness of today’s world, we must stay close to one another," he said, reflecting on the Jubilee. "We must keep our gaze fixed on the Crucifix and never forget the Resurrection."
Q: Father Andriy, what is the role of a military chaplain, and how does war change this mission?
The most important duty of a military chaplain is the care of the spirit, which means caring for the humanity of those we serve.
To serve humanity is to serve the divine in humanity, because we are made in God's image; we are God's presence in Creation. This means standing close, walking alongside people, making God present among us in the midst of the darkness of war.
Q: A chaplain's role is to help soldiers remain human. But what does "humanity" really mean? Do you think it needs to be explained today?
Yes, I believe it does, because we live in a world where humanity itself is wounded—by war, by atrocities, by all that we see so clearly in Ukraine, but not only there. The world as a whole is wounded by war. It is crucial to understand what we mean by ‘humanity’ to avoid different interpretations.
I believe that when we speak of humanity, we mean ‘God present in the world of Creation.’ In the theological tradition of the Catholic Church, in the Christian tradition, divinity has universal characteristics: God is truth, absolute goodness, justice, and beauty.
For those of us walking through the darkness of war, the most important thing is to remember that even here, we must contemplate beauty. And there is so much of it: the beauty of a heart ready to serve, to share. We see this as we serve both Ukrainian soldiers and civilians—there is so much beauty in the human heart, and this is the source of victory because only love can triumph.
Being human is a gift, and it requires effort from us to resemble, as much as possible, the divine presence within our hearts and spirit. For me, four key qualities guide the way: seeking truth, choosing goodness, defending justice, and contemplating beauty—even in the midst of war’s darkness.
Q: What are the biggest challenges for chaplains in the context of the war in Ukraine?
One of the hardest things is witnessing the destruction of humanity—real, embodied humanity: in a friend, in a child, in a fellow human being. This is extremely difficult.
What makes it even harder is realizing that the world of the 21st century, the world in which we are all citizens, does not want to see this. People flee from responsibility, as if this war were far away, even though it is one of the most brutal conflicts since the end of World War II.
Today, we see beauty, innocence, and humanity itself being destroyed not only by tanks but also by the unwillingness to fight for justice, to take responsibility, to care. Even this is a wound upon humanity.
For a military chaplain at the front lines, there are many challenges, but I believe the greatest one is moral: seeing all of this and realizing that the world chooses not to see it—even though it claims to value truth, justice, and beauty.
Humanity is under attack today. And we must all care for this wound.
Q: In recent years, especially during this war, there has been an intense exchange of experiences between Ukraine and other countries in the field of military chaplaincy. You frequently meet with other chaplain leaders. What are the differences among you, and what can you learn from each other?
Ukrainian military chaplains have battlefield experience, which our partners often seek to learn from, because the world has changed. It is a painful experience, but today it serves to bring us closer together.
As I said, all of humanity is wounded by a war like this, and therefore, we are all, in some way, responsible for this wounded humanity.
Q: This is the Holy Year of "Pilgrims of Hope." In the midst of the pain and suffering of war, what leads people to lose hope? And what can be done to help others sustain and nurture it?
Being a pilgrim is an essential part of human nature. We are all pilgrims in this world, walking our journey, and it is important not to be alone—we cannot do it alone. That is why we must stay close to one another, so as not to get lost in the darkness of today’s world.
One of the most important lessons we learn on the battlefield is that no one can stand alone. A person needs a companion, needs to feel loved—by their family, by the children they are protecting, by their spouse.
For us Christians, the most important thing is to remember the source of our hope. That is why we must lift our gaze toward the Crucifix. The Crucifix carries the most powerful message for this time—it sustains military chaplains and the entire Ukrainian people, helping us not to be swallowed by the darkness of war’s pain and reminding us of the Resurrection.
So, we must not stop. We must keep moving forward, step by step, looking toward the morning of the Resurrection—not alone, but always together, in prayer, with our eyes fixed on the Crucifix.
We must stand together, walk together, with eyes wide open. Because even in this darkness, in this suffering, we must always remain men and women of hope.
To be human means seeking truth, choosing goodness, fighting for justice, defending justice, and also contemplating beauty.
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