Marriage in the Catholic Church, also called holy matrimony, is a special agreement between a man and a woman. This agreement is meant to last a lifetime and is designed to help the couple grow together and raise children. The Catholic Church sees this agreement as a sacred sacrament, which means it is a way for God to show His love and grace to people. The rules about marriage in the Catholic Church are based on Roman law, which focuses on marriage as a free and mutual agreement. These rules influenced the marriage laws of many European countries until the time of the Reformation.

The Catholic Church recognizes marriage as a sacrament in two situations: (1) when both people are baptized non-Catholic Christians, and (2) when one person is a baptized non-Catholic Christian and the other is a baptized Catholic Christian. In the second situation, the Catholic person must get permission from the diocesan bishop, which is called a "dispensation to enter into a mixed marriage." For example, if two Lutherans marry in their church with a Lutheran minister, the Catholic Church considers this marriage valid as a sacrament. However, the Catholic Church also recognizes marriages between a baptized person and a non-Christian or between two non-Christians. These marriages are not considered sacramental. In such cases, the Catholic person must get permission from their bishop for the marriage to take place. This permission is called a "dispensation from disparity of cult."

Weddings where both people are practicing Catholics are usually held in a Catholic church. Weddings where one person is a practicing Catholic and the other is not can take place in a Catholic church or a non-Catholic church. However, if the wedding is held in a non-Catholic church, the Catholic person must first get permission from their bishop or ordinary to ensure the marriage follows the proper rules.

Catholic Church view of the importance of marriage

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains: "The close relationship of life and love that makes up marriage was created by God and given its own rules. . . . God himself is the one who started marriage. The call to marriage is part of the natural way that men and women are created by God. Marriage is not just a human idea, even though it has changed over time in different cultures, social groups, and spiritual beliefs. These changes should not make us forget the shared and lasting parts of marriage. Even though not all places clearly see the value of marriage, all cultures recognize the importance of the union between a man and a woman. The happiness of individuals and of both human and Christian society depends on the health of marriage and family life."

It also states: "The Church values Jesus' presence at the wedding in Cana. She sees this as proof that marriage is good and as a sign that marriage will now show Christ's presence. In his teachings, Jesus clearly taught that the union of a man and a woman was meant by God from the start. The permission given by Moses for divorce was a way to deal with difficult situations. Marriage between a man and a woman cannot be broken; God himself decided this, 'what therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder.' This strong teaching about marriage being permanent may seem hard to understand or too difficult to follow. However, Jesus did not give couples a burden they cannot carry. By restoring the original plan of creation that was harmed by sin, he gives the strength and grace needed to live marriage in the new way of God's Kingdom."

History of marriage in the Catholic Church

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Marriage was considered an important step into adulthood and was strongly supported within the Jewish faith. The author of the letter to the Hebrews said that marriage should be respected by everyone, and early Christians defended the holiness of marriage against groups like the Gnostics and the Antinomians.

At the same time, some people in the early Christian communities began to value celibacy more than marriage, following the example of Jesus. This was because many believed that the Kingdom of God was about to arrive, and Jesus had told people to avoid earthly ties. The apostle Paul also suggested that celibacy was preferable, but he said that not everyone had the ability to live this way. He wrote, "Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion." This teaching suggested that marriage was only for those who could not control their desires and lacked the gift of celibacy. Armstrong has argued that early Christians, to a large extent, "placed less value on the family" and saw celibacy and freedom from family ties as a better state for those who could manage it. However, other scholars say that Paul would not have forced people to be celibate any more than he would have forced them to marry. What people choose naturally is considered a gift from God. Therefore, he believed that married people were not expected to be celibate.

As the Church developed and came into contact with Greek culture, it supported the idea that being unmarried and celibate was better and more holy than being married. At the same time, the Church challenged some social norms, such as the buying and selling of women for marriage, and supported women's right to remain unmarried virgins for the sake of Christ. Stories from the early Catholic Church often show that some women were martyred for refusing to marry, not just for their belief in Christ.

Paul's teaching that virginity was better than marriage was accepted by the early Church, as shown in the 2nd-century Shepherd of Hermas. Justin Martyr, writing in the middle of the 2nd century, wrote about many men and women who had been followers of Christ since childhood and had remained pure. Virginity was praised by Cyprian and other Christian leaders. Philip Schaff admits that the later teaching of the 16th century Council of Trent – "that it is more blessed to remain virgin or celibate than to be joined in marriage" – was the view that was common in the early Christian church. However, the Church still discouraged people from condemning marriage or looking down on women who were faithful and married.

For much of the history of the Catholic Church, no specific ritual was required for a marriage – at least not until the late medieval period: "Marriage vows did not have to be exchanged in a church, nor was a priest's presence required. A couple could exchange consent anywhere, anytime."

Markus notes the impact on early Christian attitudes, especially as Christian concerns about sex grew after 400: "The superiority of virginity and sexual abstinence was generally accepted. However, a negative attitude toward sex and marriage became mixed with more positive views of the body. Opinions varied, and mainstream Christianity developed a strong distrust of the body and sexuality. This lasting tendency was strongly influenced by debates about Christian perfection in the late fourth and early fifth centuries."

While the Church Fathers of the Latin or Catholic Church did not condemn marriage, they still taught that celibacy and virginity were preferable.

Bishop Ignatius of Antioch, writing around 110 to Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna, said, "[I]t becomes both men and women who marry to form their union with the approval of the bishop, that their marriage may be according to God, and not after their own lust."

In his On Exhortation to Chastity, Tertullian argued that a second marriage, after the death of a spouse, "will have to be termed no other than a species of fornication." He used a similar idea from the Book of Leviticus to argue against remarrying, even for lay Christians. He said, "If you are a digamist, do you baptize? If you are a digamist, do you offer? How much more capital (a crime) is it for a digamist laic to act as a priest, when the priest himself, if he turn digamist, is deprived of the power of acting the priest! 'But to necessity,' you say, 'indulgence is granted.' No necessity is excusable which is avoidable. In a word, shun to be found guilty of digamy, and you do not expose yourself to the necessity of administering what a digamist may not lawfully administer. God wills us all to be so conditioned, as to be ready at all times and places to undertake (the duties of) His sacraments."

In his earlier Ad uxorem, Tertullian also argued against second marriages, but said that, if one must remarry, it should be with a Christian. In other writings, he argued strongly against ideas like those he expressed in his On Exhortation to Chastity; and in his De Anima, he explicitly stated that "the married state is blessed, not cursed by God." Adhémar d'Alès has commented: "Tertullian wrote a lot about marriage, and on no other subject has he contradicted himself as much."

Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, recommended in his Three Books of Testimonies against the Jews that Christians should not marry pagans. Addressing consecrated virgins, he wrote: "The first decree commanded to increase and to multiply; the second enjoined continency. While the world is still rough and void, we are propagated by the fruitful begetting of numbers, and we increase to the enlargement of the human race. Now, when the world is filled and the earth supplied, they who can receive continency, living after the manner of eunuchs, are made eunuchs unto the kingdom. Nor does the Lord command this, but He exhorts it; nor does He impose the yoke of necessity, since the free choice of the will is left."

Jerome, commenting on Paul's letter to the Corinthians, wrote: "If 'it is good for a man not to touch a woman,' then it is bad for him to touch one, for bad, and bad only, is the opposite of good. But, if though bad, it is made venial, then it is allowed to prevent something which would be worse than bad. … Notice the Apostle's carefulness. He does not say: 'It is good not to have a wife,' but, 'It is good for a man not to touch a woman.' … I am not expounding the law as to husbands and wives, but discussing the general question of sexual intercourse – how in comparison with chastity and virginity, the life of angels, 'It is good for a man not to touch a woman'." He also argued that marriage distracted from prayer, and so virginity was better: "If we are to pray always, it follows that we must not think…"

Validity of marriage in the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church has specific rules that must be followed for a marriage to be considered valid by the Church. A valid Catholic marriage requires four key elements: (1) both people are free to marry, (2) they both give their consent freely, (3) they intend to stay married for life, remain faithful to each other, and are open to having children, and (4) their consent is given in the proper religious way, which means in front of two witnesses and a church official who is authorized by the Church. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by Church leaders. Before marriage, the Church offers classes to help couples understand their commitment. If a person has not received confirmation before, it can be done during this time without causing serious hardship (Canon 1065).

The Catholic Church also recognizes marriages between two baptized Protestants, two baptized Orthodox Christians, or between a baptized non-Catholic Christian and a Catholic Christian as sacramental. However, in the case of a Catholic and a non-Catholic Christian, permission from the local bishop is required, called "permission to enter into a mixed marriage." For example, if two Lutherans marry in a Lutheran church with a Lutheran minister, the Catholic Church sees this as a valid sacrament. However, marriages between a Catholic and a non-Christian, or between two non-Christians, are not considered sacramental. In these cases, a Catholic must get permission from their bishop, called "dispensation from disparity of cult." The Church prefers that Catholic or mixed Christian marriages take place in the parish church of one of the spouses. People helping couples prepare for marriage can assist with the permission process. Today, with more religious diversity, getting permission is easier than in the past.

The requirement for a marriage to follow specific religious rules, called "canonical form," began with a decree called Tametsi from the Council of Trent in 1563. A later decree, Ne Temere, by Pope Pius X in 1907, made these rules required even in places where Tametsi had not been used before. According to Church laws (Canons 1055–1165 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and Canons 776–866 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches), a Catholic marriage is valid only if it is performed before a local bishop, a priest appointed by the bishop, or (in the Latin Church only) a deacon appointed by them, and with at least two witnesses. In earlier times, these conditions were not always required for validity.

For a marriage to be valid, both people must be free to marry. This means there must be no legal or religious barriers, called "impediments," according to Church rules. A Catholic marriage cannot happen if any of the following conditions are present, though some may allow special permission:

• One or both people are unable to have children (called "antecedent and perpetual impotence").
• They are related by blood (called "consanguinity") up to the fourth degree (like first cousins), or by legal adoption up to the second degree.
• They are related by marriage (called "affinity"), such as a mother-in-law.
• One person is already married (called "prior bond").
• One person is in a religious order (called "those in sacred orders").
• One person has taken a public vow of lifelong celibacy in a religious group.
• One person is baptized in the Catholic Church or has joined it, and the other is not baptized (called "disparity of cult").
• One person previously planned to marry someone else only after their current spouse died (called "crimen" or "conjugicide").
• One person is below the legal marriage age (14 for women, 16 for men).
• One person was taken against their will (called "abduction").

In the Latin Church, a marriage can be held during Lent even within a Nuptial Mass, but not during Holy Week or the Easter Triduum. Marriages can happen on any day of the week. Some Eastern Catholic Churches do not allow marriages during Lent. In the past, the Latin Church allowed marriages at any time but prohibited blessings during Advent, Christmas Day, Lent, and Easter Sunday.

A marriage between a Catholic and a non-Catholic is often called a "mixed marriage." In strict terms, a mixed marriage is one between a Catholic (baptized in the Catholic Church or joined it) and a non-Catholic Christian, sometimes called an "interdenominational marriage."

The Catholic Church has historically opposed marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics, believing it "degrades the holy character of matrimony" by involving non-Christians in a sacred union. The Church saw two main barriers: "mixed religion" (marrying someone of a different faith) and "difference of worship" (marrying someone who does not recognize the sacramental nature of marriage).

Early Church councils, like the 4th-century Council of Elvira and the Council of Laodicea, forbade Catholic Christians from marrying heretics or schismatics. Marriages with non-Christians were considered invalid, while marriages with heretics were seen as valid only with special permission. In 692, the Council in Trullo declared such marriages invalid in the East but not in the West.

During the Reformation in the 16th century, more rules about mixed marriages were created. In areas where the Council of Trent’s Tametsi decree was used, mixed marriages were considered invalid in the West because the required religious conditions (a priest and witnesses) were not met. Even where Tametsi was used, the Church could not always enforce these rules due to Protestant opposition. However, Catholic parents sometimes required their children to follow Catholic traditions in their wills.

In 1741, Pope Benedict XIV allowed mixed marriages in the Netherlands and Belgium if they followed civil laws. A similar rule was later made for Ireland by Pope Pius in 1785. Over time, these rules were extended to other places. Pope Pius VI allowed mixed marriages in Austria if they were performed in front of a priest without religious ceremonies.

Ministers of matrimony

The husband and wife must properly sign the marriage agreement. In the Latin Catholic tradition, the couple gives each other the sacrament of marriage. As ministers of grace, the spouses express their agreement before the church.

This does not mean the church is not needed. Usually, canon law requires the local bishop or priest (or someone they have approved) to be present, along with at least two witnesses. The priest’s job is to help the couple ensure the marriage follows canon law and should attend whenever possible. If a priest cannot be present, a trained layperson may be allowed to help or may simply be there instead. If no trained layperson is available, the marriage is still valid if two witnesses are present. For example, in May 2017, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments allowed a nun to officiate a marriage ceremony in Quebec because there were not enough priests available.

Eastern Catholic churches follow a tradition shared by all Eastern Christian churches. In this tradition, the bishop or priest performs the sacrament by crowning the bride and groom as a sign of their marriage promise. This ceremony is called the Mystery of Crowning.

Indissolubility

The Catholic Church teaches that a sacramental marriage, which is a marriage recognized through a religious ceremony, is considered valid and blessed by God. This type of marriage cannot be ended by the couple or by the state unless one spouse dies. However, if the marriage has not been consummated (meaning the couple has not shared a sexual relationship), the Pope, as the Church's leader, may allow the marriage to be dissolved.

The Church views natural marriages (marriages where at least one person is not baptized) the same way as sacramental marriages. These marriages cannot be ended by the couple or by the state, and the Church does not recognize civil divorces for either type of marriage. However, in rare cases, a natural marriage may be dissolved by the Church if it helps protect the faith of a Christian. These cases, known as Pauline and Petrine privileges, require approval from the Holy See (the highest authority in the Church). In such situations, the Church may officially end a valid marriage, which is different from a civil divorce that does not truly end the marriage.

Some rules are necessary for a marriage to be valid. If these rules are not followed, the marriage is not considered valid, and the people involved are not considered married. However, if a marriage is not valid but was entered into in good faith by at least one person, any children born from that marriage are still considered legitimate. This is stated in Canon 1137 of the Church's laws.

The Catholic Church teaches that a valid natural marriage, even if consummated, may be dissolved if it helps protect someone's faith. However, a valid sacramental marriage that has been consummated cannot be ended. If a marriage is found to be invalid from the start, it may be declared null through a process called annulment. This is different from divorce, which ends a valid marriage. An annulment means the marriage was never valid, while a divorce ends a valid marriage.

For a marriage to be valid, certain conditions must be met, as outlined in the Code of Canon Law. These include:
– Diriment Impediments: Rules that make a marriage invalid, such as being too young, already married, or being ordained.
– Matrimonial Consent: Both people must agree to the marriage, understand their responsibilities, and not be forced or afraid.
– Form of the Celebration: The marriage must be performed in the presence of a priest or delegate and at least two witnesses.

An annulment is a decision that a marriage was not valid when the vows were exchanged. After the marriage, the actions of the couple are not directly relevant to the validity of the marriage, except as evidence. For example, if one person did not intend to be faithful at the time of the marriage, the marriage may be invalid. If someone later breaks their vows but intended to be faithful at first, the marriage remains valid.

The Catholic Church teaches that annulments and divorces are different. An annulment means the marriage never existed, while a divorce ends a valid marriage. In canon law, there are many reasons for granting annulments, and Church lawyers have historically used these reasons creatively. Annulments are not only for marriages but can also apply to other Church matters, such as the annulment of an ordination.

Sins against marriage and conjugal chastity

The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman. Both partners must agree freely and willingly, and the marriage should help each person and allow for the creation of new life. The Church considers certain actions, such as cheating in marriage, ending a marriage, marrying again after a divorce, not wanting to have children, having multiple spouses, close family relationships, harming children, living together without marriage, and testing a relationship through temporary marriages, as sins that harm the dignity of marriage. The Church also teaches that married people must practice chastity, which means avoiding actions like lust, touching oneself for sexual pleasure, having sex before marriage, looking at or sharing sexual images, selling sex, forcing someone to have sex, close family relationships, harming children, and same-sex relationships in any form.

The Catholic Church opposes legal same-sex marriage in both civil and religious settings. It believes same-sex relationships are not good for children and that allowing such relationships harms society. Important leaders in the Church, such as cardinals and bishops, have spoken out against laws that allow same-sex marriage and have encouraged others to oppose such laws. They have also opposed same-sex civil unions and allowing same-sex couples to adopt children.

More Catholics around the world are disagreeing with the official Church position and supporting civil unions or same-sex marriage. In places like North America, Northern and Western Europe, many Catholics support rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, such as civil unions, same-sex marriage, and protection from discrimination, more than the general public in those areas.

In 2021, the Catholic Church stated again that it cannot give blessings to same-sex couples. In 2023, the Church’s office responsible for religious teachings explained that individuals in same-sex relationships can receive blessings in non-religious settings, as long as it does not confuse the blessing with a religious marriage. This was outlined in a document called Fiducia Supplicans.

On March 11, 2023, the Synodal Path, supported by over 80% of German Catholic bishops, allowed blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples in all 27 German Catholic dioceses. In April 2025, the German Catholic bishops published a document outlining how blessings can be given for same-sex marriages.