Moscow, November 1, 2019
Photo: pravoslavie.ru St. Joseph of Volokolamsk, a great 15th-century Russian saint, has been established as the patron saint of military logistics specialists by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, reports the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The decision was marked by the blessing of an icon of St. Joseph in the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Sokolniki in Moscow. The rite was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Stephan of Klin, the Chairman of the Synodal Department for Interaction with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies.
According to Bp. Stephan, “St. Joseph took care that the spiritual would come through the material.”
“His monastery and companions understood that man must be fed, given something to drink, and warmed. His monastery considered this charitable function of the Russian Orthodox Church a true spiritual work. The logistics troops are the main structure in the Ministry of Defense that provide military personnel with everything they need.”
The Deputy Minister of Defense and army General Dimitry Bulgakov participated in the service. Addressing Bp. Stephan, he said: “Allow my colleagues and I to express to you and His Holiness patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia our heartfelt thanks for the blessing of the special veneration of St. Joseph of Volokolamsk as the patron of the logistics personnel and staff of the Russian armed forces, and prayerful appeal to him for help in general good deeds.”
Photo: function.mil.ru
Bulgakov also noted that “the noble and holy deeds of St. Joseph of Volokolamsk will henceforth always be an example for us of fulfilling our sacred duty before our homeland for its protection and strengthening.”
In accordance with the appeal of the Ministry of Defense to the Russian Church, every type and branch of the armed forces is blessed with a patron saint who protects military specialists.
See the life of St. Joseph of Volokolamsk.
In November 2017, the Greek Church established St. Paisios the Athonite as the patron saint of military communications regiments, the great saint himself having served in that capacity in the Greek army during the Second World War.
The Church of Cyprus declared a number of military patron saints in June 2018, including St. Paisios as the patron of their own communications units.
