Regulations Regarding Chaplain Service

Issued pursuant to Section 14,
Paragraph five of the Law on Religious Organisations

1. The Regulation prescribes the operation of the chaplain service.

2. Chaplains shall ensure the exercise of the individual's right to freedom of religion as laid down in the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, the Law on Religious Organisations, and international treaties on human rights in the field of religion.

3. No authority shall be permitted to obtain information during a confession or pastoral conversation by using operational activities measures or to require chaplains to disclose information established during a confession or pastoral conversation.

4. A chaplain shall be a person who has acquired theological education in accordance with the procedures laid down by the relevant religious association (church) and who has been nominated for the office by the religious association (church) referred to in Paragraph 5 of this Regulation.

5. A chaplain shall be nominated for the office by the leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia, the Riga Metropolitan Roman Curia, the Latvian Orthodox Church, the Central Council of the Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church of Latvia, the United Methodist Church of Latvia, the Union of Baptist Churches in Latvia, the Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Latvia, the Latvian Union of Pentecostal Churches of the International Church of God, the Latvian Dievturi Congregation, and the Centre of the Pentecostal Churches of Latvia (hereinafter - the religious association (church)).

6. A chaplain shall be employed by the Commander of the National Armed Forces or the Director of the Prison Administration, or by the administration of an airport, port or land transport station, or by the administration of a medical treatment institution or social care institution (hereinafter - the relevant institution). A chaplain shall be recruited for professional service by the Minister for Defence or by a commander (chief) authorised by him or her.

[19 March 2013]

7. The relevant institution has the right to seek the opinion of the chaplains association of the relevant sector on the suitability of the chaplain nominated by the religious association (church) to work in the chaplain service.

8. The decision to introduce a chaplain service shall be taken by the administration of the relevant institution. The administration of the relevant institution shall notify the religious associations (churches) of the vacant chaplain's position, specifying the requirements to be met by the chaplain and the procedures for the employment or recruitment for professional service of the chaplain.

[19 March 2013]

9. The administration of the relevant institution shall conclude an employment contract or a professional service contract with the chaplain for the organisation of spiritual care. If a religious association (church) establishes that a chaplain's professional abilities are inadequate for the performance of the duties of office of a chaplain, it shall notify the relevant institution of the inadequacy. The relevant institution may, after considering the notification of the religious association (church), terminate the employment or professional service relationship with the chaplain.

[19 March 2013]

10. Chaplains shall act in accordance with this Regulation and other laws and regulations. Chaplains shall be bound by the internal rules of procedure of the relevant institutions.

11. Chaplains of the National Armed Forces shall provide spiritual care to the personnel of the National Armed Forces and their relatives. Chaplains, as clergymen, shall provide spiritual care to the relatives of perished soldiers. They shall be spiritual counsellors to soldiers and their relatives.

12. Chaplains of the National Armed Forces who are military personnel shall commence and perform professional military service in the National Armed Forces on a voluntary basis in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations. Chaplains shall not carry weapons.

13. Chaplains of the National Armed Forces who are soldiers shall be awarded a rank.

[19 March 2013]

14. The activities of chaplains in the National Armed Forces shall be managed by the Chaplain General of the National Armed Forces who is administratively directly subordinate to the Commander of the National Armed Forces.

15. Chaplains of the National Armed Forces shall be subordinate to the chief of the military unit (unit commander) in administrative matters, to the Chaplain General of the National Armed Forces in matters related to the activities of chaplains, and to the relevant religious association (church) in religious matters.

16. Prison chaplains shall provide spiritual care, moral support, and necessary counselling on religious and ethical issues as well as perform moral education activities for detained and convicted persons and prison staff.

17. The structure of the prison chaplain service shall be determined by the Director of the Prison Administration.

18. Airport, port and land transport station chaplains shall provide spiritual care to airport, port and land transport station staff and passengers.

19. Chaplains in professional healthcare institutions shall be medical treatment support persons who provide spiritual care to the staff and patients in healthcare institutions, providing moral support and necessary religious counselling in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding the competence of medical treatment support persons in medical treatment. Chaplains in social care institutions shall provide spiritual care to the staff and residents of social care institutions in accordance with their competence, providing moral support and necessary religious counselling.

20. The activities of chaplains shall be financially and materially and technically ensured by the relevant State or local government institution from the allocated budget funds or by the capital company with which the chaplain has an employment relationship.

21. Cabinet Regulation No. 277 of 2 July 2002, Regulations Regarding Chaplain Service (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2002, No. 101), is repealed.

Prime Minister V. Dombrovskis

Minister for Justice A. Štokenbergs

Translation © 2023 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)