Celibacy (from Lat. caelebs, “unwed,” “not married”) is a phenomenon of the history of religion, not confined to Christianity, meaning (in some cases temporary) abstinence from sexuality or a permanent unmarried state. The call to celibacy in many ancient cults followed the notion of “cultic purity”: Sexuality (like blood and sickness) had the effect of causing ritual impurity and rendered contact with the gods in…