Lietuvos kariuomenės dvasininkija 1919–1940 m.

ENIn this article "Clergy of Lithuanian army in 1919-1940", institution of military clergy that existed in the Republic of Lithuania in 1919–1940 is described: its structure and legal situation are established, influence of politics carried by temporal power to functioning of military clergy is described, working field and pursued activities of military clergy are defined as well. Institution of military clergy found at the beginning of 1919 had to take care of all the religious demands of soldiers. This institution consisted of Chief military Chaplain Service and military chaplains of Catholics, orthodox, evangelists, old believers and Jews. Main document that regulated the status of this institution in the army was Statute of military clergy, initiated in 1921. However, this statute which was valid during the whole period of 1921–1940 did not justify expectation of military clergy and left a lot of obscurities related to jurisdiction of this institution, privileges and duties, which complicated the situation, activity and relations with soldiers of war chaplains. Without having found Lithuanian war diocese, service of chief military chaplain up until 1935 immediately depended from Minister of National defence, later from the chief of army. Together with being subordinate to temporal power, he was also subject to hierarch of Lithuanian Church, that is episcopate and when Lithuanian ecclesiastical province was found, to archbishop of Kaunas. Despite being the manager of all the religious and church businesses of the army and chief of war chaplains, he had to coordinate his activity with ecclesiastical and temporal powers. The main activity field of military clergy was taking care of religious practice for the soldiers. War chaplains would celebrate Mass, adjure soldiers, bless flags and planes, advised soldiers on various issues of moral and conscience etc.Despite not having all the powers given to priests, they baptized, wed and buried soldiers and their family members. An important operational direction of military clergy was religious education to soldiers and cadets. Military chaplains would conduct lessons of religious-moral education and prepared discourses of religious content. From the year 1926, military clergy was attributed with culture and worldly education operational field. Military chaplains were members of military commissions of Culture and education; they were usually heads of such institutions. [From the publication]