Vatican Decree: You Get One Spouse for Life, No Polyamory

The Vatican has issued a new decree reaffirming that Catholics should have only one spouse for life, rejecting polygamy (marriage to more than one spouse) and polyamory (multiple consensual romantic relationships) as incompatible with Church teaching. The document, approved by Pope Leo and released by the Vatican's doctrinal office, underscores that marriage should be an exclusive, lifelong union between one man and one woman, reports Reuters. It emphasizes that the intimacy and total commitment required by marriage can't be divided among multiple partners. The decree didn't make mention of same-sex marriage.

The AP notes that the decree came about in response to concerns by African bishops who've reported polygamy as being an issue among their congregants. Per CNN, a final section of the 40-page decree, entitled "One Flesh: In Praise of Monogamy," also touches on the fact that sex within marriage isn't just about having kids—it's also about bringing a couple closer together. "Unity is the founding property" behind marriage, and the "unitive purpose of sexuality ... is not limited to ensuring procreation," the decree notes.