Vatican: The Vatican issued a fresh reminder on Tuesday that love does not need complicated calculations. In its newest decree, approved by Pope Leo, Church authorities urged the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics to build their lives with one spouse and one lifelong commitment.
The message is direct: marriage works best when two people choose each other and stay faithful to that choice. The decree warns against multiple romantic partnerships and singles out rising concerns over polygamy in parts of Africa, including within some Catholic communities. It describes traditional marriage as a bond with deep richness, meant to grow stronger over time, and encourages believers to invest in a single, lasting partnership.
The document highlights that genuine marriage rests on the unity of two individuals who share equal dignity and equal rights. Because of that, it says, real commitment demands exclusivity and cannot be divided among several partners.
The Vatican’s renewed emphasis comes after two major global gatherings in 2023 and 2024, where bishops and cardinals met to reflect on the Church’s future. Polygamy was one of the most heated topics, particularly its cultural roots in many African societies.
In a doctrinal Note approved by Pope Leo XIV on 21 November, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith explores the value of marriage as an “exclusive union and mutual belonging” and condemns all forms of violence, both physical and psychological. https://t.co/qgYVdsN0gV
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) November 25, 2025
Church leaders also confronted a different reality emerging in Western nations: the rise of polyamorous relationships in which people openly form multiple romantic bonds at the same time.
The decree pushes back on both trends, saying these relationship models often rely on the idea that emotional intensity can be found by moving from one partner to another rather than growing deeper with one.
While reaffirming that marriage is meant to last a lifetime, the document does not address divorce, which the Church does not recognise. It does, however, highlight the annulment process, which examines whether a marriage was valid from the start. Vatican officials also stress that no one should remain in an abusive marriage and that personal safety must come first.
