Vatican Condemns Polyamory: What Is Stated in the New Document on Marriage.

According to ТСН: The Vatican recently published a new document emphasizing the importance of monogamous marriage, viewing it as a relationship between one man and one woman. The document also addresses the growing popularity of polyamory – a concept that encompasses multiple simultaneous romantic relationships.

The Document and Its Main Points

This document was approved by Pope Leo XIV in November 2025 after discussions with Roman Catholic bishops from Africa, where issues of polygamy and polyamory were raised. The latter phenomenon has become quite popular in the West. Polyamory involves relationships based on mutual consent, while polygamy refers to situations where one person has multiple partners.

The document notes that multiple relationships are illusory.

“Polygamy, adultery or polyamory are based on the illusion that the intensity of relationships can be found in a number of faces,”

— states the text.

The Purpose of the Document

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez emphasized that the purpose of the document is to justify the advantages of “choosing a unique and exclusive union of love, rich and full of commitment to one another.” It is highlighted that monogamous marriage is a special and mutual bond between two people, reflecting the divine gift of love.

According to Catholic teaching, sex in marriage has two main aspects. The first is uniting, which brings the couple closer and reflects divine love. The second is procreative, which concerns the birth of children. However, the document emphasizes that sexuality is not limited to the issue of procreation but is an important form of love that strengthens the unity of the couple and expresses their mutual commitment.

In addition, lately, the topic of open relationships has been increasingly discussed in society. While there used to be primarily one model — traditional monogamy, now a diversity of partnership forms such as polyamory, swinging, or “open” love can be observed.

This focus on monogamy in the Vatican's document indicates that church traditions still play an important role in contemporary discussions regarding forms of family and romantic relationships. Despite the influence of new models, monogamous marriage remains a significant emphasis for the Catholic Church and its followers. Continuing the dialogue on this topic may become the basis for a deeper understanding and acceptance of different partnership models in society.