+ "If anyone is able to preserve in chastity to the honor of the flesh of the Lord, let him do so in all humility."
─St. Ignatius of Antioch: "Letter to St. Polycarp," 5. (2nd cent.)
+ "We Christians regard a stain upon our chastity as more dreadful than any punishment, or even than death itself."
─Tertullian: "Apologeticus" (2nd. cent.)
"We are taught that chastity has three forms─one that of married life, a second that of widowhood, and a third that of virginity. We do not so extol one form as to exclude the others. In this, indeed the Church is rich, in that it has those whom it can rank before others, but none whom it rejects."
─St. Ambrose: "Concerning Widows," 23. (4th cent.)
+ "Let each one study his own powers, whether he can fulfil the precepts of virginal modesty. For of itself chastity is charming and attractive to all. But one's forces must be considered, that he who can may take it. The Lord's word is as it were an exhortation, stirring on His soldiers to the prize of purity. 'He that can take it, let him take it': let him who can, fight, conquer and receive his reward."
─St. Jerome: "Commentary on St. Matthew," 19:12. (5th cent.)
+ "The chastity of widows of widows and virgins is above the chastity of marriage."
─St. Augustine: "On the Good of Marriage." (5th cent.)
+ "Do not say that you have chaste minds if you have unchaste eyes, because an unchaste eye is the messenger of an unchaste heart."
─St. Augustine: "Letters 211." (His Rule.) (5th cent.)
+ "To love chastity."
─St. Benedict: "Rule," 4. (One of his "tools of good works") (6th cent.)
+ "Now, though the era of persecution is gone, yet our peace has its martyrdom, because though we bend not the neck to the sword, yet with a spiritual weapon we slay fleshly desires in our hearts."
─Pope St. Gregory the Great: "Hom. in Evang.", 1, 3, 4. (6th cent.)
Artwork: Allegory of Chastity (detail), by GIOTTO di Bondone. Fresco, c. 1320.
Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi.
─St. Ignatius of Antioch: "Letter to St. Polycarp," 5. (2nd cent.)
+ "We Christians regard a stain upon our chastity as more dreadful than any punishment, or even than death itself."
─Tertullian: "Apologeticus" (2nd. cent.)
"We are taught that chastity has three forms─one that of married life, a second that of widowhood, and a third that of virginity. We do not so extol one form as to exclude the others. In this, indeed the Church is rich, in that it has those whom it can rank before others, but none whom it rejects."
─St. Ambrose: "Concerning Widows," 23. (4th cent.)
+ "Let each one study his own powers, whether he can fulfil the precepts of virginal modesty. For of itself chastity is charming and attractive to all. But one's forces must be considered, that he who can may take it. The Lord's word is as it were an exhortation, stirring on His soldiers to the prize of purity. 'He that can take it, let him take it': let him who can, fight, conquer and receive his reward."
─St. Jerome: "Commentary on St. Matthew," 19:12. (5th cent.)
+ "The chastity of widows of widows and virgins is above the chastity of marriage."
─St. Augustine: "On the Good of Marriage." (5th cent.)
+ "Do not say that you have chaste minds if you have unchaste eyes, because an unchaste eye is the messenger of an unchaste heart."
─St. Augustine: "Letters 211." (His Rule.) (5th cent.)
+ "To love chastity."
─St. Benedict: "Rule," 4. (One of his "tools of good works") (6th cent.)
+ "Now, though the era of persecution is gone, yet our peace has its martyrdom, because though we bend not the neck to the sword, yet with a spiritual weapon we slay fleshly desires in our hearts."
─Pope St. Gregory the Great: "Hom. in Evang.", 1, 3, 4. (6th cent.)
Artwork: Allegory of Chastity (detail), by GIOTTO di Bondone. Fresco, c. 1320.
Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi.