The Image of the Church as the Bride of Christ is presented in the New Testament as an effective icon, revealing  the intimate nature of the relationship that the Lord Jesus wanted to establish with the community of those who believed in him (Ep 5:23-32; Rev 19:7-9;21:2-3,9) Since apostolic times this expression of the Mystery of the Church has been demonstrated in a unique way in the lives of those women who with spousal Love are dedicated to the Lord Jesus in virginity. Responding to a charism kindled in them by the Holy Spirit, they experience the spiritual fertility of an intimate relationship with him and offer the fruits of this relationship to the Church and to the world. Some passage in the New Testament and in the writings of the first Christian centuries show that this form of evangelical life appeared in a spontaneous way in the different regions where ecclesial communities developed. In the context of pagan society, it took its place among other forms of the ascetic life which were clear signs of the novelty of Christianity and of its capacity to respond to the deepest questions about the meaning of human existence.