A shocking number of bishops had permitted priests who sexually abused young people, including children, to continue serving in the ministry, where some priests preyed on additional victims.
Authorities permitted Orthodox chapels and priests on army bases.
Among Eastern Rite Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, which permit married priests, bishops must either be unmarried or agree to abstain from contact with their wives.
The instruction suggests, for example, that rather than allow any inflation of lay roles, bishops should be very cautious about permitting priests to retire at age 75.
Mikhail S. Gorbachev decided to relax some of the restrictions on the Russian Orthodox Church, permitting priests to run their own parishes, allowing the church more public prominence.
His predecessor expelled most Catholic missionaries from the country, banned church lay organizations and permitted priests to offer mass only on weekends.
They have been outraged at recently released church files, made public on a judge's orders, showing that he permitted priests who had abused children to remain in ministry late into the 1990's.
Among Eastern Catholic Churches, which permit married priests, bishops must either be widowers, unmarried or agree to abstain from sexual contact with their wives.
With the permission of King Djamasp, Babai was allowed to call a synod (council) in 497/499, at which clerical celibacy was abolished, permitting priests and even bishops to marry.