A Revived Calling: The Chaplains of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force during the Second World War

During World War II, the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (BrazEF) reinstated religious assistance after decades of military secularization. This article examines the role of these chaplains in providing emotional and spiritual support to soldiers on the Italian front. Drawing on archival records, chaplain reports and personal testimonies, it explores how faith influenced troop morale and psychological resilience. While inspired by global chaplaincy models, Brazil’s case was distinctive: religion, long absent from military life, became central once again. Despite their rushed training and the logistical challenges they experienced, chaplains became indispensable figures. Their experiences not only reshaped the BrazEF’s wartime dynamics, but also influenced the permanent re-establishment of military religious assistance in 1946.