“To say a kind word, to support spiritually and morally”: how the clergy work in the NWO zone

The rector of the church in the Stavropol Territory, Father Peter, first went to the Donbass on a humanitarian mission back in 2014.

Seeing the refugees at the border, the clergyman realized that he would no longer be able to leave here - and remained in the LPR to help civilians.

“On my first trip, I saw refugees, I saw grandmothers sitting with their little grandchildren, crying - and the children no longer have a father or mother - and their eyes are glassy, ​​they are simply horrified.

Then I realized that we would no longer be able to leave here, ”recalls Father Pyotr.

The humanitarian mission of his parish has been delivering food to the residents of Donbass for two years, volunteers went from house to house, found out where pregnant women with large families live, so that they can receive targeted assistance.

Father Peter brought flour from his farm to the LPR, agreed with local bakeries to bake bread and provide them with orphanages and nursing homes.

“In 2018, I was invited to work in a local church, to feed the battalion, I met many people, a certain movement has already formed, called “The Future of Russia is Us”, we continued to help the inhabitants of the republics.

We have been shouting for five years that Russia should recognize the republics of Donbass, and now we have waited, we have called,” the father rejoices.

Priest in the NWO zone

When the special operation began, Father Peter asked to be allowed to work in the NVO zone.

Then it was not easy to get to the Donbass, also because covid restrictions were still in effect, says the priest.

• RT

“I had the opportunity to go to the Donbass, because I was registered there, registered - I transported goods, employees, priests there.

And somehow it happened that then I was offered a permanent job, and I stayed here.

We go to priests, ask them to feed the military so that they can take communion, confess, listen to a prayer service.

It is important to say a good kind word to them, to support them spiritually and morally, because not everyone can withstand these harsh, difficult conditions.

Hospitals are also for us, we already have a separate branch for them, ”explains the priest. 

According to him, the priests feel a great return from the soldiers in the NVO zone, because the fighters risk the most precious thing that a person has - their lives.

It makes people think about faith.

“What is more valuable than life?

There is nothing better than her.

And they give it away, and when a person fights to death, he stands before God, and the inner spiritual feeling - it all makes the soldier already a warrior of Christ, who is ready to give his life for others, for the Motherland, for the faith, ”the priest states.

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Father Peter believes that one of the main tasks of the clergy working in the war zone is “to make sure that the fighter does not turn into a beast”, and when he returns home, he can become a worthy husband, start a family and children.

Some fighters are baptized right before leaving for the front line.

“A lot of people want to be baptized, I didn’t even expect that we have so many unbaptized people among Russians.

And there are such units, battalions, assault groups, which simply will not go into battle without communion.

There are not enough priests yet, but we are attracting new people, ”concluded the interlocutor of RT.

Work in military hospitals

Until recently, Father Vladimir was engaged in social work and charity work in Moscow and the Moscow region, served in covid hospitals when the coronavirus pandemic began.

About a month ago he was blessed to work with military hospitals and fighters in the NVO zone, a week ago he went to Donbass for the first time.

“Vladyka gave his blessing for cooperation with the military department, it was only a month ago.

Therefore, for the time being, I cannot be called a chaplain in the full sense - I am only getting into all this so far, ”the clergyman specified.

On his recent trip to the Donbass, he saw the need for spiritual work with fighters in hospitals and on the front lines.

“When there is no priest, a person has different thoughts, someone goes into paganism.

And when a priest appears, a person’s brains immediately fall into place, he feels this grace, therefore, of course, priests, chaplains, they are needed,” the priest believes.

According to Father Vladimir, not every clergyman is suitable for work in a war zone - the fighters there need a special approach, it is necessary to prove to people that you are “one of you”.

“The military has a special mentality and psychology.

Until now, I have worked with ordinary people, not the military, in hospitals, where conditions are completely different.

There, people just want to get better, they are “speaking”, they make contact.

In military hospitals, things are different.

You talk to people, and they even answer you according to the charter: “that's right”, “no way”.

Here, many accept the priest as a senior in rank - and in the army it is not customary to talk heart to heart with a senior in rank.

It is very difficult to overcome this barrier.

The military must accept you as one of their own, and this must be proved in their eyes, special charisma and training are needed, ”explains Father Vladimir.

The clergyman stated that many fighters who went through combat operations and were injured have pronounced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

In hospitals, some soldiers do not react to outsiders - they turn to the wall and remain silent.

Such people are especially in need of spiritual help, Father Vladimir believes.

“A priest, in a sense, must be both a psychologist and a doctor.

Basically, the military is an injured contingent, people who require a really very careful, careful approach, ”summed up the interlocutor of RT.

"Fighting Imam of Donbass"

Colleagues nicknamed Tanai Cholkhanov "the fighting imam of Donbass".

He went to the NWO back in March.

In a conversation with RT, Cholkhanov confirmed that a large number of Muslims were participating in the special operation.

“Firstly, Muslims, most of whom come here from the Caucasus, stand for justice;

secondly, they prove that they are real worthy men, that they are worth something;

and thirdly, they even out their financial situation.

There are fewer so-called "pacifists" in the Caucasus - there are practically none there.

And the words “honor” and “dignity” mean a lot there, ”Cholkhanov explains in an interview with RT.

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According to his observations, in military conditions, Muslims rallied even more, became more disciplined while observing daily prayers.

Cholkhanov is convinced that faith helps fighters go through all the trials and endure the difficult living conditions in the combat zone.

“I was surprised by one case when Yulia Chicherina came to perform in the NVO zone.

It so happened that during the concert it was time for prayer, and half of the audience simply got up in sync and went to pray, although the performance was in progress.

Just because the time for collective prayer has come - that is, people observe the rituals very carefully, they have become more collected and united in the NWO, ”the RT interlocutor notes.

On the other hand, he notes, the struggle for justice in the Donbass for many Muslims participating in the NWO has become a kind of way to prove their faith to themselves.

“Muslims see this as a kind of self-realization, they feel involved in something great, and even if in civilian life they were not active members of civil society, then there, due to the fact that they are all in their midst, they feel that they are carrying goodness and justice, stand for a just cause, ”Cholkhanov argues.