In his book “What It Is Like to Go to War”, American author and Vietnam War veteran Karl Marlantes reflects on the lasting moral and spiritual impact of combat. “Combat is a lot of things, but one of them is that it puts you in a different relationship with eternity … it changes … your sense of what...

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (May 8, 2026) The Blessing of the Hands is a sacred tradition atNaval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP), the Navy’s oldest continuously operating hospital.Falling annually during the kickoff ofNational Nurses Week (May 6–12), the event serves as a poignant reminder of the spiritual...

Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Cherry Point celebrated the dedication and spirit of nursing Wednesday May 6, 2026 with a “Blessing of the Hands” ceremony.Led by Navy Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Bruno and Father Ignatius Madamere, the ceremony served as an opening to National Nurses Week...

SIGONELLA, Italy – On May 6, 2025, United States Naval Hospital (USNH) Sigonella and U.S. Naval Medical Readiness and Training Unit (USNMRTU) Bahrain marked the beginning of Nurses Week with solemn Blessing of the Hands ceremonies—a cherished tradition that recognizes the sacred role of nurses and...

Nurses of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point whose dedication to help others matches the skills of their healing hands with a Blessing of the Hands Ceremony on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.Nurses serving aboard the clinic gathered in the facility’s atrium with Navy Chaplain Commander Philip Park to fortify...