Source: United States Navy (Medical)
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 corpsmen in healing and compassionate care.
The ceremonies, led by Navy chaplains at each location, served as a spiritual and symbolic gesture to affirm the healing mission at the heart of military medicine. At USNH Sigonella, Lieutenant Pedro Fernandez Soto guided staff through the ritual, while in Bahrain, Lieutenant Commander James Hardy facilitated the event for deployed and stationed personnel.