Visibility of Women in Spiritual Ministry During Wartime

Context

Russia’s full-scale invasion has made chaplaincy an essential part of support for military personnel. At the same time, women’s role in spiritual ministry remains largely invisible and is often devalued both within the military environment and in religious communities. Gender bias, distrust toward women as spiritual leaders, and the lack of official recognition create additional barriers for those who work directly with trauma, loss, and crises of faith on the front line.

Suspilne chose a documentary format to raise a difficult question without simplification or moralizing: Can and should a woman be a military chaplain, and what does the reality of war reveal about that question?

What has been done

Suspilne produced the documentary anthology “Chaplain Women: Prayer in Hell”, dedicated to the experiences of women chaplains during the full-scale war. The film follows three women who provide spiritual support to soldiers, work with profound trauma, loss, and doubt, and simultaneously face distrust and prejudice regarding their role.

The documentary portrays chaplaincy without heroization or romanticization — through fatigue, fear, faith, and crises of faith. The protagonists’ stories become the basis for a broader conversation about women’s place in military and religious institutions and about how war reshapes ideas of spiritual leadership.

How it was implemented

• The film was produced as an anthology, allowing different experiences and contexts of chaplaincy to be presented.
• The narrative is built around the protagonists’ lived experiences, without imposed judgments, preaching, or simplistic conclusions.
• After the premiere, the project was accompanied by public discussions that expanded the conversation from the screen into the public sphere.

Impact

“Chaplain Women: Prayer in Hell” became one of Suspilne’s most resonant documentary projects. After the premiere, the team received hundreds of responses from viewers who said that the film “helped them feel the meaning of faith again” and revealed a previously invisible part of women’s work that is often ignored or undervalued.

The project sparked public debate about women’s role in the military system and the need for official recognition of women chaplains within the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In this way, the film moved beyond being a cultural product and became a tool for social dialogue.

The documentary received the International Women and the World Film Festival (IFFWW) Award for Best Feature-Length Television Film and won the Ivan Franko Prize in the category Best Work in Television.

What other newsrooms can learn

• Make women visible in traditionally “male” roles by focusing on their professional function and lived experience rather than presenting them as exceptional or unusual.
• Cover sensitive topics without heroization or moralizing, allowing audiences to draw their own conclusions from real stories and context.
• Use documentary storytelling as a tool for public dialogue, especially on issues that require institutional change.
• Extend on-screen stories through public discussions involving experts, institutions, and audiences.
• Plan for impact during production by creating opportunities for screenings, discussions, educational use, and advocacy after release.