First Ecumenical Pastoral Service (EPS) Chapel in Armed Forces and Armed Corps opens to support Military Chaplaincy's mission
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- Date: 19.09.2023
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Top Defence officials from the Slovak Government and leaders of the Armed Forces and Armed Corps today gathered for the Opening Ceremony for the first ever Chapel of the Central Office of Ecumenical Pastoral Service (EPS) in the Slovak Armed Forces and Armed Corps at Dukla Barracks in Bratislava's New Town borough. Thanks to the refurbishment of the former warehouse spaces, after many years the Central Office now has a new place of worship and a multifunctional community space for spiritual and pastoral care.
As a keynote speaker at the Chapel Opening Ceremony, Deputy Defence Minister Marian Majer said: “I am pleased that with this Chapel, the Central Office is getting a beautiful and distinguished place right here at “Dukla” [Barracks], in the very heart of what is happening in the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces. The Chapel which we today hand over to Chaplain General - Military Bishop Col Viktor Sabo and his colleagues, the military chaplains of the EPS Central Office, bringing together all registered churches and religious communities to the agreement, will serve their mission to provide pastoral and religious support to members of the Armed Forces and Armed Corps and their families.”
Speaking in front of the gathered audience, Chaplain General - Military Bishop Col Viktor Sabo said: “The existence of Ecumenical Pastoral Service at home and abroad proves the point that there really is a certain dimension of spirituality which every one of us carries inside and which is brought back to the fore subconsciously in difficult life situations – this is obviously so even in the Armed Forces environment. The Chapel has been opened thanks to some very special people who have taken part in the entire project and I can see they have given parts of their inner selves to this piece of work.”
In a separate room, the Memorial Wall with all of the Slovak Armed Forces' deployments on operations is the Chapel's most dominant element and a focal point for reflection, remembrance and last silent farewell.
The Central Office of Ecumenical Pastoral Service (EPS) in the Armed Forces and Armed Corps is a special institution supporting the Armed Services, Police and Law Enforcement Agencies. Armed Forces chaplains of the EPS Central Office, which falls under the remit of the Slovak Defence Ministry, provide spiritual and pastoral care to serving personnel and their families, including leading worship services, administering the sacraments, and organising ceremonies.
As a keynote speaker at the Chapel Opening Ceremony, Deputy Defence Minister Marian Majer said: “I am pleased that with this Chapel, the Central Office is getting a beautiful and distinguished place right here at “Dukla” [Barracks], in the very heart of what is happening in the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces. The Chapel which we today hand over to Chaplain General - Military Bishop Col Viktor Sabo and his colleagues, the military chaplains of the EPS Central Office, bringing together all registered churches and religious communities to the agreement, will serve their mission to provide pastoral and religious support to members of the Armed Forces and Armed Corps and their families.”
Speaking in front of the gathered audience, Chaplain General - Military Bishop Col Viktor Sabo said: “The existence of Ecumenical Pastoral Service at home and abroad proves the point that there really is a certain dimension of spirituality which every one of us carries inside and which is brought back to the fore subconsciously in difficult life situations – this is obviously so even in the Armed Forces environment. The Chapel has been opened thanks to some very special people who have taken part in the entire project and I can see they have given parts of their inner selves to this piece of work.”
In a separate room, the Memorial Wall with all of the Slovak Armed Forces' deployments on operations is the Chapel's most dominant element and a focal point for reflection, remembrance and last silent farewell.
The Central Office of Ecumenical Pastoral Service (EPS) in the Armed Forces and Armed Corps is a special institution supporting the Armed Services, Police and Law Enforcement Agencies. Armed Forces chaplains of the EPS Central Office, which falls under the remit of the Slovak Defence Ministry, provide spiritual and pastoral care to serving personnel and their families, including leading worship services, administering the sacraments, and organising ceremonies.
