The objective of chaplaincy is to provide religious ministry in a secular environment.

Currently, chaplaincy services are operating in the Defence Forces, in prisons and police detention facilities, the Police and Border Guard Board, Muuga Harbour, some schools, hospitals and welfare institutions. Chaplaincy services are offered by ordained clergy of the member churches of the ECC.

Chaplaincy service of the Estonian Defence Forces

The chaplaincy service of the Defence Forces serves the units and divisions of the Defence Forces and the Defence League in Estonia and at foreign missions.

The chaplaincy service is an institution that supports the main objectives of the Defence Forces by offering ecumenical ministry services to all members of the Defence Forces and the Defence League, as well as their family members, depending on their religious needs and irrespective of their religious affiliation or non-affiliation. The chaplaincy service also serves and supports the families of deceased members of the Defence Forces.

The chaplaincy service emphasises the importance of the human being and ethical values in the Defence Forces.

The mission of the chaplaincy service is to support and increase the efficiency of the Defence Forces as a whole in performing its main task by taking care of comprehensive professional religious and spiritual support and counselling of the leadership and troops of the Defence Forces together with their families.

Prison chaplaincy service

The task of the prison chaplaincy service is to cater for the religious needs of imprisoned persons and to contribute to re-socialisation of former prisoners. For that purpose, chaplains perform religious rites and offer individual pastoral care, as well as counselling on religious and ethical issues, and organise social programmes with religious orientation. Chaplains also contribute to reconciliation and counselling of imprisoned persons and their families, and coordinate the work of volunteers from different churches and religions. If necessary, chaplains can provide religious counselling to other prison officials. The staff of the prison chaplaincy service also includes chaplains of police detention facilities.

Estonian Seamen´s Mission

Estonian Seamen´s Mission is a Christian non-profit organisation established to provide religious ministry for seamen and their family members, as well as to perform social administration tasks at the Seamen´s Home in Muuga Harbour.

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