--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The state of marriage is one that…" description: "\"The state of marriage is one that requires more virtue and constancy than any other; it is a perpetual exercise in mortification.\" — Saint Francis de S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_constancy_the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requir_2995233.png" --- # The state of marriage is one that requires more virtue and… ![“The state of marriage is one that requires more virtue and constancy than any other; it is a perpetual exercise in mortification.” quote by Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_constancy_the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requir_2995233.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_constancy_the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requir_2995233.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_constancy_the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requir_2995233.png) > “The state of marriage is one that requires more virtue and constancy than any other; it is a perpetual exercise in mortification.” [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marriage demands ongoing virtue and steadfastness, a continual self‑discipline. **In simple terms:** Marriage needs constant virtue. Key Takeaway Commit to continual personal growth. Themes marriage virtue commitment Mood reflective hopeful Type religious philosophical When to use this quote - marital counseling - spiritual mentorship - daily reflection Key Concepts self‑discipline spiritual practice Questions to Reflect On - How do you sustain virtue in partnership? - What practices support constancy? A Different Perspective Idealistic view may ignore relational complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constancy/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Mortification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortification/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Serving others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving-others/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [Freedom requires virtue. Virtue requires faith. And faith, in turn, requires freedom. You can't have coerced state-sanctioned religion. It has to be utterly free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/freedom-requires-virtue-virtue-requires-faith-and-faith-in-turn/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [Men are to be guided only by their self-interests. Good government is a good balancing of these; and, except a keen eye and appetite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/men-are-to-be-guided-only-by-their-self-interests-good-government-is/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [When men enter into the state of marriage, they stand nearest to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/when-men-enter-into-the-state-of-marriage-they-stand-nearest-to-god/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Marriage is a phase where two lovers could merely state their affection, and legally claim to the society their bondage! This too does symbolize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/marriage-is-a-phase-where-two-lovers-could-merely-state-their/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) > [Marriage is a very strange thing. It’s a very public institution, it’s meant to tell the world that two people are going to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-deshpande/marriage-is-a-very-strange-thing-it-s-a-very-public-institution-it-s/) [Shashi Deshpande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-deshpande/) > [Forty-five States, as the gentleman just said, have determined by people that were elected by the people of that State that marriage is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-neugebauer/forty-five-states-as-the-gentleman-just-said-have-determined-by/) [Randy Neugebauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-neugebauer/) > [It is so far from being natural for a man and woman to live in a state of marriage, that we find all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-so-far-from-being-natural-for-a-man-and-woman-to-live-in-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Marriage requires the giving and keeping of confidences, the sharing of thoughts and feelings, respect and understanding always, marriage requires humility - the humility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/marriage-requires-the-giving-and-keeping-of-confidences-the-sharing/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [A successful marriage requires commitment to teamwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-saad/a-successful-marriage-requires-commitment-to-teamwork/) [Gad Saad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-saad/) > [A strong marriage requires loving your spouse even in those moments when they aren't being lovable; it means believing in them even when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/a-strong-marriage-requires-loving-your-spouse-even-in-those-moments/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Marriage doesn’t require ‘giving’ mind, body and soul. Marriage requires ‘sharing’ mind, body and soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sneha-mehta/marriage-doesn-t-require-giving-mind-body-and-soul-marriage-requires/) [Sneha Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sneha-mehta/) > [Marriage requires a person to prepare 4 types of "Rings": Engagement Ring Wedding Ring, Suffering, Enduring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-requires-a-person-to-prepare-4-types-of-rings-engagement/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Marriage requires searing honesty at all costs. I learned that from my third wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/marriage-requires-searing-honesty-at-all-costs-i-learned-that-from-my/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, and always with the same person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-successful-marriage-requires-falling-in-love-many-times-and-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A strong marriage requires two people who choose to love each other even on those days when they struggle to like each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/a-strong-marriage-requires-two-people-who-choose-to-love-each-other/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) ## More by Saint Francis de Sales > [Flowers often grow more beautifully on dung-hills than in gardens that look beautifully kept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/flowers-often-grow-more-beautifully-on-dung-hills-than-in-gardens/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Friendship requires great communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/friendship-requires-great-communication/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [The thoughts of those moved by natural human love are almost completely fastened on the beloved, their hearts are filled with passion for it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/the-thoughts-of-those-moved-by-natural-human-love-are-almost/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [It matters little how one begins, provided that he be resolved to go on well, and to end well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/it-matters-little-how-one-begins-provided-that-he-be-resolved-to-go/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Those who love to be feared fear to be loved, and they themselves are more afraid than anyone, for whereas other men fear only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/those-who-love-to-be-feared-fear-to-be-loved-and-they-themselves-are/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Go to your confessor; open your heart to him; display to him all the recesses of your soul; take the advice that he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/go-to-your-confessor-open-your-heart-to-him-display-to-him-all-the/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [It is better to remain silent than to speak the truth ill-humoredly, and spoil an excellent dish by covering it with bad sauce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/it-is-better-to-remain-silent-than-to-speak-the-truth-ill-humoredly/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Friendships begun in this world will be taken up again, never to be broken off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/friendships-begun-in-this-world-will-be-taken-up-again-never-to-be/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [And when children begin to use their reason, fathers and mothers should take great pains to fill their hearts with the fear of God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/and-when-children-begin-to-use-their-reason-fathers-and-mothers/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Pride dies 20 minutes after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/pride-dies-20-minutes-after-death/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [To be pleased at correction and reproofs shows that one loves the virtues which are contrary to those faults for which he is corrected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/to-be-pleased-at-correction-and-reproofs-shows-that-one-loves-the/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [If you would fall into any extreme, let it be on the side of gentleness. The human mind is so constructed that it resists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/if-you-would-fall-into-any-extreme-let-it-be-on-the-side-of/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [One single act done with aridity of spirit is worth more than many done with feelings of devotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/one-single-act-done-with-aridity-of-spirit-is-worth-more-than-many/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/all-of-us-can-attain-to-christian-virtue-and-holiness-no-matter-in/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [We must visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament a hundred thousand times a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/we-must-visit-jesus-in-the-blessed-sacrament-a-hundred-thousand-times/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) [Explore all 185 Saint Francis de Sales quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) ## More Constancy quotes > [I was always anti-marriage. I didn't understand monogamy. I couldn't figure out how that could last. And then I met Bryn and I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bello/i-was-always-anti-marriage-i-didn-t-understand-monogamy-i-couldn-t/) [Maria Bello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bello/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The word "hope" I take for faith; and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-word-hope-i-take-for-faith-and-indeed-hope-is-nothing-else-but/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The fickleness of the women I love is only equalled by the infernal constancy of the women who love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-fickleness-of-the-women-i-love-is-only-equalled-by-the-infernal/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [By the disposition of a stupendous wisdom, moulding together the great mysterious incorporation of the human race, the whole, at one time, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/by-the-disposition-of-a-stupendous-wisdom-moulding-together-the-great/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“Even gods decay. Like, in 1890 somebody sold off thousands of mummified Ancient Egyptian sacred cats - \_for fertilizer\_. Get the point? Constancy isn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gash/even-gods-decay-like-in-1890-somebody-sold-off-thousands-of-mummified/) [Jonathan Gash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gash/) > [Prayer is the pulse of the renewed soul; and the constancy of its beat is the test and measure of the spiritual life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavius-winslow/prayer-is-the-pulse-of-the-renewed-soul-and-the-constancy-of-its-beat/) [Octavius Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavius-winslow/) > [To grasp life and meaning, we assume constancy where it does not exist. We name experiences, emotions, and subjective states and assume that what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-grasp-life-and-meaning-we-assume-constancy-where-it-does-not-exist/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Feeling the security and constancy of love from a spouse, a parent or a child is a rich blessing. Such love nurtures and sustains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/feeling-the-security-and-constancy-of-love-from-a-spouse-a-parent-or/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [But keeping secrets is a discipline. I never use to think of myself as a good liar, but after having had some practice I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/but-keeping-secrets-is-a-discipline-i-never-use-to-think-of-myself-as/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [Constancy does not begin, but is that which perseveres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/constancy-does-not-begin-but-is-that-which-perseveres/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“The secret to success is constancy of purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-secret-to-success-is-constancy-of-purpose/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Whatever is genuine in social relations endures, despite of time, error, absence, and destiny; and that which has no inherent vitality had better die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-theodore-tuckerman/whatever-is-genuine-in-social-relations-endures-despite-of-time-error/) [Henry Theodore Tuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-theodore-tuckerman/) > [“Not by fitful efforts, but by constancy, is an end secured. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wortabet/not-by-fitful-efforts-but-by-constancy-is-an-end-secured-the/) [John Wortabet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wortabet/) [Browse all 196 Constancy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constancy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The state of marriage is one that requires more virtue and constancy than any other; it is a perpetual exercise in mortification.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Saint Francis de Sales" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requires-more-virtue-and-constancy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Constancy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requires-more-virtue-and-constancy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_constancy_the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requir_2995233.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_constancy_the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requir_2995233.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_constancy_the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requir_2995233.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The state of marriage is one that requires more virtue and constancy than any other; it is a perpetual…” — Saint Francis de Sales", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Saint Francis de Sales", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The state of marriage is one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requires-more-virtue-and-constancy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/the-state-of-marriage-is-one-that-requires-more-virtue-and-constancy/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```