For the first time, military chaplains will officially march in Italy’s Republic Day parade on June 2 along Rome’s Via dei Fori Imperiali. The priests of the Military Ordinariate will take part in the ceremony wearing their official uniforms, including cassocks adorned with military insignia, black berets, and ceremonial gloves.

Their participation marks a symbolic shift, as military chaplains had never previously appeared directly in the annual parade. The decision comes at a sensitive moment for the Italian Catholic Church, which is currently debating the future role of chaplains within the armed forces.

Earlier this year, the Italian Bishops’ Conference approved a pastoral document proposing a gradual “demilitarization” of military chaplains, encouraging forms of pastoral presence less directly tied to military structures. The proposal sparked criticism from the Military Ordinariate, whose leadership instead supports a stronger public and institutional role for chaplains within the armed forces.

The issue also raises questions about public spending. Italy’s military diocese reportedly costs the state more than ten million euros annually, covering salaries, pensions, logistics, and even liturgical materials used in military facilities. Chaplains are formally integrated into the armed forces and receive military ranks and salaries equivalent to officers.

Several military unions and advocacy groups have criticized the arrangement, describing it as a system of privileges increasingly difficult to justify.

At the same time, Italian Bishops’ Conference president Cardinal Matteo Zuppi has openly criticized growing military expenditures and the global rearmament trend. Echoing recent remarks by Pope Leo XIV, Zuppi warned against defining military buildup as “defense” when it fuels tensions and diverts resources away from education, healthcare, and diplomacy.