I can’t speak for the Eastern Catholic churches, but in Orthodoxy, the rule of thumb is that a married man can receive ordination, but an ordained man cannot get married. For this reason, MANY Orthodox seminarians delay their ordinations until they find wives.
Celibacy amongst the general priesthood in the Latin Rite church has not always been a strictly enforced norm. I’m no expert on Roman Catholicism, but I THINK it’s only been an absolute requirement since the 11th century.
In Orthodoxy, married priests are not eligible for elevation to the Episcopacy (they can’t be bishops).
Thanks Yudan. Very interesting.