A Deep Dive into the Papal Requirements , Celibacy , and Church Traditions For centuries, the role of the Pope has been revered as the highest spiritual authority in the Roman Catholic Church. But with such a sacred role come many questions, especially around the personal life of the pontiff. One common question is: Does the Pope have to be a virgin ? In this post, we’ll explore the history , rules , and misconceptions about the Pope's personal life and clarify what the Church truly requires. 📜 The Official Requirements to Become Pope Canon Law and Papal Eligibility Contrary to what many believe, virginity is not a requirement to become the Pope. According to Canon Law , any baptized male Catholic can be elected Pope, though in practice, he is almost always a cardinal or bishop . The key requirements are: The person must be male and baptized in the Catholic Church. He must be celibate , in accordance with the discipline of the Roman clergy. He must be willing...