Bishop Paula Addresses Question of Church Annulment Over Refusal of Marital Intimacy

Bishop Paula, the Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan of Tanta and its surrounding districts, has addressed the issue of unconsummated marriage in comments concerning whether a wife’s refusal of marital intimacy can justify a church annulment.

He said the absence of sexual relations between spouses could stem from two main possibilities. One is the presence of an obstacle or psychological barrier preventing a spouse from engaging in intimacy.

His explanation referred to a barrier affecting either partner, rather than framing the issue solely as a wife’s refusal to have marital relations.

The available excerpt did not detail the second possibility or specify the conditions under which the Church might grant an annulment. It therefore offers no definitive answer on whether refusal alone would be sufficient grounds.