Annual Meeting of the Territorial Defence Force Chaplains
From 12–14 May 2026, Warsaw and Zegrze hosted the annual meeting and training programme for Orthodox chaplains serving in Poland’s Territorial Defence Force (WOT). The gathering began with a service at St George the Victorious Cathedral of the Orthodox Military Ordinariate in Warsaw.
During the event, the chaplains took part in meetings devoted to pastoral ministry within the Territorial Defence Force, as well as training sessions aimed at developing practical military skills. The clergy also met with Archbishop Jerzy (Pańkowski), Orthodox Military Ordinary of the Polish Armed Forces, and representatives of the WOT Command.
The meeting concluded with a visit to the Katyń Museum at the Warsaw Citadel. The chaplains toured the permanent exhibition accompanied by Dr Bartłomiej Bydoń, Head of the Museum’s Research Section and Deputy Head of the Museum. At this important site of remembrance, prayers were offered for the victims of the Katyń massacre and for all Polish citizens murdered in Soviet prison camps.
Special tribute was paid to Orthodox military chaplains Fr Colonel Szymon Fedorońko, Fr Lieutenant Colonel Wiktor Romanowski, and Fr Major Włodzimierz Ochab, who were canonised last year by the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
Photo: Orthodox Military Ordinariate / Territorial Defence Force
