Editing Celibacy (section)

===Desert Fathers===
[[File:St Macarius the Great with Cherub.jpg|thumb|''Saint [[Macarius of Egypt|Macarius]] and a Cherub'' from [[Saint Catherine's Monastery]], Sinai, Egypt]]
The [[Desert Fathers]] were Christian [[hermit]]s and [[ascetics]]<ref name="Chryssavgis15" /> who had a major influence on the development of Christianity and celibacy. [[Paul of Thebes]] is often credited with being the first hermit or [[anchorite]] to go to the desert, but it was [[Anthony the Great]] who launched the movement that became the Desert Fathers.<ref name="Waddell30">[[#refWaddell1957|Waddell 1957]], p. 30.</ref> Sometime around AD 270, Anthony heard a Sunday sermon stating that perfection could be achieved by [[Jesus and the rich young man|selling all of one's possessions, giving the proceeds to the poor, and following Christ]] ([[Matthew 19]]:21). He followed the advice and made the further step of moving deep into the desert to seek complete solitude.<ref name="Chryssavgis15">[[#refChryssavgis2008|Chryssavgis 2008]], p. 15.</ref>

Over time, the model of Anthony and other hermits attracted many followers, who lived alone in the desert or in small groups. They chose a life of extreme [[asceticism]], renouncing all the pleasures of the senses, rich food, baths, rest, and anything that made them comfortable.<ref name="Riddle43">[[#refRiddle2008|Riddle 2008]], p. 43.</ref> Thousands joined them in the desert, mostly men but also a handful of women. Religious seekers also began going to the desert seeking advice and counsel from the early Desert Fathers. By the time of Anthony's death, there were so many men and women living in the desert in celibacy that it was described as "a city" by Anthony's biographer.<ref name="Chryssavgis15" />

The first Conciliar document on clerical celibacy of the Western Church ([[Synod of Elvira]], {{circa|&nbsp;305}} can. xxxiii) states that the discipline of celibacy is to refrain from the use of marriage, i.e. refrain from having carnal contact with one's spouse.<ref>Roman Cholij ''Clerical Celibacy in East and West''. Gracewing 1990; 2nd Rev. ed., p. 36.</ref>

According to the later [[Jerome|St. Jerome]] ({{circa|347}}{{snd}}420), celibacy is a moral virtue, consisting of living in the flesh, but outside the flesh, and so being not corrupted by it (''vivere in carne praeter carnem''). Celibacy excludes not only libidinous acts, but also sinful thoughts or desires of the flesh.<ref>art. Celibacy, clerical, in ''Dictionary of Moral Theology''. Compiled under the Direction of H. E. Cardinal Roberti. Ed. Mgr. Pietro Palazzini. London: Burns & Oates Publishers of the Holy See 1962;</ref> Jerome referred to marriage prohibition for priests when he claimed in ''[[Against Jovinianus]]'' that Peter and the other apostles had been married before they were called, but subsequently gave up their marital relations.<ref>''Aduersus Jovinianum I'', 7. 26 ([[Patrologia Latina|PL]] 23, 230C; 256C).</ref>

In the Catholic, [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] and [[Oriental Orthodox Church|Oriental Orthodox]] traditions, bishops are required to be celibate.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1577-1579}}</ref><ref>"[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2002/04/27/orthodox-priests-have-the-option/b095af1d-9c4f-4e2a-af79-fb0cb83fd1b3/ Orthodox Priests Have the Option.]" ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved 23 July 2021</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://orthodoxengland.org.uk/celbish.htm | title=Why Orthodox Bishops are Celibate }}</ref> In the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox traditions, priests and deacons are allowed to be married, yet have to remain celibate if they are unmarried at the time of [[ordination]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/first-married-man-ordained-priest-us-maronite-catholic-church|title=First married man ordained priest for U.S. Maronite Catholic Church|date=2014-02-28|work=National Catholic Reporter|access-date=2021-07-23|language=en|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305072535/http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/first-married-man-ordained-priest-us-maronite-catholic-church|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>"[https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2015/10/of-marriage-and-orthodox-priests Of Marriage and Orthodox Priests - Wesley J. Smith.]" firstthings.com. Retrieved 23 July 2021.</ref>