Overview
- The 40-page Italian-only text with 256 footnotes, approved by Pope Leo and authored by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, instructs Catholics to seek one lifelong spouse.
- It condemns polygamy, adultery and polyamory, emphasizing marriage as an exclusive union between one man and one woman.
- The document focuses on the "richness and fruitfulness" of traditional marriage and does not address same-sex relationships.
- Vatican officials present it as a doctrinal clarification following debates on marriage at Vatican summits in 2023 and 2024, with polygamy cited as a pressing pastoral concern in parts of Africa.
- Published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the decree notes the Church’s annulment process and affirms that spouses are not expected to remain in abusive relationships.