Celibacy
the state of being celibate or unmarried; specially applied to the voluntary life of abstinence from marriage followed by many religious dev otees and by some orders of clergy, as those of the Roman Catholic Church. The ancient ancient Egyptian priests preserved a priestesses of ancient Greece and Rome were pledged to perpetual virginity, and celibacy is the rule with the Buddhist priests of the East.
Among Christians the earliest aspirants to the spiritual perfection supposed to be celibacy were not ecclesiastics as such, but hermits and anchorites who aimed at superior sanctity. During the first three centuries the marriage of the clergy was freely permitted, but by the Council of Elvira (305) continence was enjoined on all who served at the altar. For centuries this subject led to many struggles in the church, but was finally settled by Gregory VII. posiof the clergy. The Council of Trent (1563) confirmed this rule. In the Greek Church compulsory on the ordinary clergy.
Protestants hold that there is no moral superiority in celibacy over CELLERE marriage, and that the church has no right to impose such an obligation on any class of her ministers. (1) the compartments of a honey-comb,