Ubi Caritas is a short Gregorian chant centered on a single idea rooted in the proclamation in Scripture: where charity and love are present, God is present.
It is most often used on Holy Thursday, especially during the washing of the feet, but the text itself is not limited to that liturgical moment and can be applied in many contexts in and outside of the liturgy. It describes what happens when people are gathered in genuine unity, infused with the love of God in their souls.
Listen to the chant here:
(This is my version of the Gregorian chant Lux Aeterna from my Cassia & Myrrh Catholic project, and you can find my free full Gregorian chant album with PDF guide at the end of this article.)
Latin and English Text
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
The love of Christ has gathered us into one.
Exsultemus et in ipso iucundemur.
Let us rejoice and be glad in him.
Timeamus et amemus Deum vivum.
Let us fear and love the living God.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
And let us love one another with a sincere heart.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Where charity and love are, God is there.
What “Ubi Caritas” Means
The opening line is direct: Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est — “Where charity and love are, God is there.”
This is not a description of a feeling but a statement of reality and presence. The reality at the core of everything we believe as Christians is that God Himself is love, and has infused the entire universe with that love, pouring it out into our creation and ultimately redeeming us by that same love in the Incarnational Person of Jesus Christ via His life, death, and resurrection.
Focus on Unity
One of the central lines is:
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor — “The love of Christ has gathered us into one.”
The emphasis is not only on individual devotion, but on unity, together, through and for God. This is a beautiful reflection of the essential ecclesial nature of the whole Christian Church, brought together through the grace of Christ, belief in Him, and that belief expressed with sincere prayer and, most especially, in and through all of the sacraments which bind all together. This is how true charity is made present in our souls: through the infusion of grace in the soul.
What to Listen for
The chant moves gently and steadily, without strong contrasts and an almost “breathing” quality which is so common to the ancient, haunting Gregorian chant tradition. It supports the text, allowing it to expand and enter the soul more deeply in its literal meaning as well as in the essence expressed in the sounds.
Ubi Caritas reminds us what is most important, above everything else: charity found in the grace of God who Himself has loved us with the deepest, most all-encompassing love possible.
Catholic Kind: Catholic Music & Culture Resource 
Leave a comment