Catholic Priest Says Couples Should Not Have Sex After Traditional Marriage Without Church Wedding

A Nigerian Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Prince Chidi Philip, has said Catholics who complete a traditional marriage ceremony should proceed to have their marriage formally celebrated and blessed by the Church before beginning marital sexual relations. The priest made the statement in a Facebook post while discussing the Catholic Church’s position on marriage. According to Philip, traditional marriage alone does not fulfil the requirements of a valid Catholic marriage. He urged Christians, particularly Catholics, who have completed traditional marriage rites to approach their parish priest and undergo the necessary preparations for a Church wedding. The priest said Catholics who have only conducted a traditional marriage should abstain from sexual relations until their marriage has been formally celebrated according to Church requirements. He described sexual relations between Catholics who have undergone only a traditional marriage, without a valid Church marriage, as a mortal sin under Catholic teaching. Philip also addressed concerns about the cost of Church weddings, saying couples do not necessarily need an elaborate ceremony. He said couples could approach their priest, complete the required preparations and have their marriage celebrated during a regular Mass. The priest further argued that Church marriage should not be treated as optional for Catholics, describing it as a serious obligation under Church law. His comments have sparked discussion online about the relationship between traditional marriage rites and Christian or Catholic marriage requirements in Nigeria. The Catholic Church has its own canonical requirements for a valid Catholic marriage, which can differ from the customary or traditional marriage practices recognised by Nigerian communities and civil law. Source: Gistreel, based on a Facebook statement attributed to Rev. Fr. Prince Chidi Philip. The priest's comments were also reported by other Nigerian media outlets. Factful24: The statements regarding what constitutes a mortal sin reflect the Catholic priest's explanation of Catholic teaching and should not be presented as a general rule governing all Nigerian marriages.