A declaration of nullity, typically sought by people whose marriages have ended, is a judgment by a Catholic Church tribunal {that a} marriage, although showing legitimate, was not legitimate from its starting as a result of some obstacle. This course of differs considerably from civil divorce, which dissolves a legally binding marriage. An annulment, in distinction, states {that a} legitimate marriage by no means existed within the eyes of the Church. This can be a advanced course of with particular necessities.
The method permits people to remarry inside the Church and stay in good standing. Traditionally, the Church has held marriage as a sacred covenant, and a declaration of nullity offers a pathway for these whose marriages failed to satisfy the necessities of this covenant from the outset. This displays the Church’s understanding of marriage as a sacrament, requiring particular circumstances to be validly entered.