During World War I, nearly 2,000 men served in the U.S. military as chaplains. These noncombatants, with no weapons and initially expected not to advance forward into the fight, marched on the battlefields to provide comfort, religious and spiritual healing to service members.
"We have records of chaplains basically saying to officers, 'No, I have to go with these men. What they're going to experience is horrific but I have to be next to them, I have to help them. This is their their most dire time of need,'" said Patricia Cecil, specialist curator of faith, religion and World War I at the National World War I Museum and Memorial.
"Sacred Service," now on display, shares the story of chaplains through the war, and how combat transformed some people's religious beliefs.
"It's this really fascinating window where we can, I can, just sort of freeze the moment in time — this really unique time in global history — and really look at the way faith is playing out for people who are living through these chaotic, horrific moments," Cecil told KCUR's Up To Date.
- Patricia Cecil, specialist curator of faith, religion and WWI, National World War I Museum and Memorial
