Vatican Decree Reaffirms Commitment to Monogamy

The Vatican, under Pope Leo's approval, issued a decree advocating lifelong monogamous marriage for Catholics, critiquing polygamy, especially in Africa. This decree emphasizes traditional marriage's richness and exclusivity, asking Catholics to uphold these values amidst discussions at Vatican summits on marriage's place in contemporary society.

The Vatican issued a new decree on Tuesday promoting lifelong monogamous marriages among Catholics, emphasizing that 'happily ever after' requires only one spouse. The decree, backed by Pope Leo, discourages polygamy, especially prevalent in African regions, and highlights the lifelong commitment expected in Catholic marriages.

Focusing on the 'richness and fruitfulness' of traditional unions, the Vatican calls for Catholics worldwide to marry one spouse for life. The decree, however, omits the discussion of same-sex relationships and reiterates the exclusivity marriage demands, emphasizing equality and rights within the union.

The decree follows two Vatican summits in 2023 and 2024 that explored enforcing the Church's marital teachings amidst global shifts toward polyamorous structures in some Western regions. While the Church does not recognize divorce, it maintains an annulment process for improperly contracted marriages and notes that abuse victims are not expected to remain in harmful relationships.

(With inputs from agencies.)