The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) hosted French Archbishop Antoine De Romanet to celebrate Easter weekend.

Archbishop Romanet is currently the “Bishop of the Armies,” head of the Archdiocese of the French Armed Services. He has served as Parish priest of Notre-Dame d’Auteuil, Paris, parish priest of Saint-Louis de France in Washington D.C. and chaplain of the French Lycee Rochambeau.

Romanet arrived on the McFaul flight deck April 21 on a French Marine Nationale AS365 Dauphin helicopter, toured the ship and prepared for a worship service.

“This is my first visit to an American ship,” Romanet said. “I feel very welcome and am enjoying meeting members of team McFaul. The association between our countries is very important and I am glad I get to celebrate Easter with Americans with the same beliefs in a different culture.”

Romanet held a worship service in the McFaul wardroom where he prayed for the crew of McFaul and their families, offered communion, and hosted a meet-and-greet afterwards for anyone in attendance.

McFaul is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points.