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What decisions did the Council of Trent make about holy orders and matrimony?

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Painting by Nicolo Dorigati showing the opening session of the Council of Trent, with clergy in white robes seated in a grand cathedral and an altar at the center. — Council of Trent Opening session of the Council of Trent in 1545, depicted by Nicolò Dorigati, 1711; in the Museo Diocesano Tridentino, Trento, Italy.

At the Council of Trent (1545–1563), the Roman Catholic Church formally defined its sacramental theology in response to the Protestant Reformation. Regarding holy orders and matrimony, the council took the following actions:

Formalization of Sacraments: The council officially fixed the number of sacraments at seven, explicitly including both holy orders and matrimony as sacraments of the church.1
Clerical Discipline: In its efforts to reform the internal life of the church, the council addressed the priesthood by attempting to regulate the training of candidates. It mandated that every diocese establish seminaries to ensure the proper education of future clergy. Additionally, the council affirmed traditional practices regarding clerical marriage, effectively maintaining the requirement of celibacy for the clergy.23
Sacramental Nature of Marriage: The council reinforced the status of matrimony as a sacrament, emphasizing its divine origin and its nature as an indissoluble union that mirrors the relationship between Christ and the church.4

These measures were part of a broader legislative effort to consolidate church doctrine and address corruption within the clergy.3