The voluntary state of being sexually abstinent and or unmarried for religious reasons is known as Celibacy.

The term is also applied to sexual abstinent for non-religious reasons. According to the Christian thought, the first sacred virgin was Mary, mother of Jesus. Celibacy as a method of enriching a person’s connection to God has existed throughout history and present in practically every major religion in the world.

Ancient Judaism was opposed to celibacy; the early Romans labelled it an oddity and imposed financial penalties against it; only the virgin priestesses of Vesta, Goddess of earth, were exempt. Only the Christians, Catholics in particular, believed that celibacy was a requirement for religious office and thus formed the standard of ‘clerical celibacy’.

Many ancient Christians believed the end of the world was looming saw no reason in marriage or children. For this reason, the Apostle Paul was said to encourage both practices of marriage and celibacy. Within the Roman Catholic Church, a virgin can be consecrated to a life of eternal virginity in the service of God.

Clerical celibacy is also required for all clergy in the Latin Church. Mandatory priestly celibacy is not seen as doctrine but rather a matter of personal discipline. The celibacy movement faced hurdles with Protestant Christians. Eastern orthodox Christians never accepted the practice.

There is no law in the Ten Commandments or commandment within the New Testament that commands a life of celibacy for the disciples or followers of Jesus Christ. Saint Peter the Apostle was married, and so were other Apostles, including church members of the early Jewish Christians. The Bible reflects the fact that early Christians embraced marriage and rejected the ascetic bias against marriage.

“They forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving for those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected”

(1 Timothy 4:3-4)