Pastoral word guarding the border: meeting with military personnel of border poststranslated

The dean of the Oshmyany church district, Archpriest Georgy Mukha, visited the border outpost “Kamenny Log”, as well as the border posts “Klevitsa” and “Kreyvantsy”. The purpose of the visit was a pastoral meeting and conversation with military personnel on the topic: “Alcohol. Negative effects on body and soul.”

For Father Georgy, providing spiritual care to military personnel is a common thing. Previously, he had repeatedly participated in the ceremonial farewell of conscripts, addressing future defenders with parting words. However, the conversation at the border outposts had a special context: service here requires extreme composure, clarity of mind and fortitude, and alcohol, according to the priest, is a direct enemy of these qualities and, most importantly, an instrument of spiritual destruction.

Addressing the military personnel, Father George began the conversation with the most important thing - by considering alcohol addiction as a spiritual phenomenon, and not just a social or medical one. The priest recalled that addiction to alcohol is based on a deep spiritual problem - a person’s loss of inner peace and integrity, which are bestowed only in unity with God.

Father George paid special attention to the fact that alcohol does not affect...