The ROC explained whether marital intimacy is considered a sin

Orthodox believers explained the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to intimate life. The priests reminded that physical intimacy between husband and wife in itself is not considered a sin. In the Church understanding, it is a natural part of marriage, associated not only with the procreation, but also with love between spouses.

According to the publication in the material of October 8, the reason for explanations was the questions of believers about the admissibility of intimate relations from the point of view of the Orthodox faith. Special attention was paid to the distinction between marital intimacy and relationships outside marriage.

According to the above position, the physical union of a man and a woman in marriage is considered as a gift of the Creator. It can bring joy to spouses, but it should not be the only basis of their relationship.

In the Church understanding, bodily intimacy is associated with the spiritual side of family life. It is about love, mutual loyalty and responsibility of spouses to each other. Therefore, intimate relations in marriage are not opposed to Christian ideas about morality.

At the same time, the clergy drew attention to the influence of modern mass culture. In their opinion, intimate life is often depicted solely as a way of obtaining pleasure, without connection with emotional intimacy and responsibility to a partner.

The subject of fornication was separately touched upon. In the Orthodox tradition, this concept refers to sexual relations that violate church moral norms. It is emphasized that the requirements for chastity and marital fidelity apply equally to both men and women.

The Church’s understanding of purity is not limited to abstinence from physical intimacy. In marriage, it implies fidelity to the spouse, respect for him and the preservation of moral obligations.

The explanation also notes that throughout history, the attitude of church thinkers to certain issues of intimate life has changed. However, the basic principle remained the idea of marriage as a union in which physical relations should be associated with love and mutual responsibility.

Thus, in the above position, marital sex is not called a sin. Church condemnation concerns primarily relations that go beyond the moral norms accepted in Orthodoxy, and not the physical intimacy between husband and wife.