Ubi Caritas — antiphon of Holy Thursday

The antiphon Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est — Where charity and love are, there is God — is the proper chant of the rite of the washing of feet (mandatum), performed at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, on the night of Holy Thursday. Its composition is traditionally attributed to St Paulinus II of Aquileia († 802 or 804), Patriarch of Aquileia, friend of Charlemagne and theologian of notable stature. The text is first attested in the Antiphonary Lucca 606 (9th cent.) and the Sacramentary of Senlis (10th cent.), and since then is in constant use in the liturgy of Holy Thursday. The mandatum ritualises the gesture of Jesus narrated in John 13:1-15 — Christ washes the feet of the disciples on the night before the Passion and leaves them the new commandment of fraternal charity. The antiphon condenses in three verses the whole Christian doctrine on charity: (1) where charity is, there God is (1 Jn 4:8.16); (2) gathered we are into one in the love of Christ (Jn 17:21-23); (3) let discords and contentions cease among us, and Christ our God be in our midst (Mt 18:20). The text is sung integrally in Latin at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper; preserved both in the Missal of St Pius V (1570) and in the renewal of St Paul VI (1970, 3rd typical ed. 2002). We present here the integral text in Latin, with literal English translation of our own.

Where charity and love are, there is God.

The love of Christ has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice in him and be glad.
Let us fear and love the living God.
And from a sincere heart let us love one another.

Where charity and love are, there is God.

Wherefore, when we are gathered together as one:
Let us beware, lest we be divided in mind.
Let malicious contentions cease, let strifes cease.
And in our midst be Christ our God.

Where charity and love are, there is God.

Together also with the Blessed may we see
Gloriously thy face, O Christ our God.
A joy that is immense and good,
Through infinite ages of ages. Amen.