INTRODUCTION OF CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION IN UKRAINE: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE VOLYN ORTHODOX THEOLOGICAL ACADEMY

Medical chaplaincy is an important service in many countries, as it helps to ensure a holistic approach to treatment, taking into account the spiritual needs of patients. The relevance of this direction was due to the invasion of russian troops on the territory of Ukraine back in 2014, and in the conditions of a full-scale war in Ukraine, the role of medical chaplaincy has increased significantly. This article reveals the experience of the Volyn Orthodox Theological Academy (Lutsk, Ukraine) in training medical chaplains, which was the first in Ukraine, responding to social challenges, in particular health care institutions, to develop a certificate program for a specialization cycle in the specialty "Clinical Pastoral Care" at the Department of Humanities and Practical Disciplines of the Faculty of Theology.