Holy Thursday: Ubi Caritas

As part of the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper, the Church classically prescribes the chant, Ubi Caritas (Where Charity and Love Prevail).  In the 1962 missal as an antiphon for the Washing of the Feet, in the current ritual it appears as the lyrics for the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist (the "offertory procession", I suppose you would call it.)  While "another appropriate chant" may be sung, Ubi Caritas is the priviledged music intended to join the action of the Mandatum to that of the Eucharist and in doing so, amplify the love called forth from both.  The chant originates from sometime in the first millennium.

The lyrics harken to the idea that 'wherever two or more are gathered in my name I am there in your midst'  (Matt 18:20), and speak of the peace which the Christian community is to have at the celebration of the Eucharist.  For when the community is truly bound in mutual love and respect as they celebrate the mysteries of salvation, then God is truly present there and the light of his face shines upon the entire Church.  There is no evil, not even the darkness of Good Friday itself, that can quench the love of those washed by Christ and fed by his Eucharist as they go out, living his example of service and sacrifice for others.

Here are the liturgical texts prescribed, in bold for the Missal of 1962, and in italics for the English MR-3.  (Note that the English is pretty good, but not suitable as a line-for-line translation of the Latin.)

R:/ Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.

R:/ Where true charity is dwelling, God is present there.

V:/ Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.

V:/ By the loveof Christ we have been brought together.

V:/ Exsultemus et in ipso iucundemur.

V:/ let us find in hum our gladness and our pleasure;

V:/ Timeamus et amemus Deum vivum.

V:/ may we love him and revere him, God the living,

V:/ Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.

V:/ and in love respect each other with sincere hearts.

R:/ Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.

R:/ Where true charity is dwelling, God is present there.

V:/ Simul ergo com in unum congregamur:

V:/ So when we as one are gathered all together,

V:/ Ne nos mente dividamur, caveamus

V:/ let us strive to keep our minds free of division;

V:/ Cessent iurgia maligna, cessent lites.

V:/ may there be an end to malace, strife, and quarrels,

V:/ Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deus.

V:/ and let Christ our God be dwelling here among us.

R:/ Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.

R:/ Where true charity is dwelling, God is present there.

V:/ Simul quoque cum beatis videamus.

V:/ May your face thus be our vision, bright in glory,

V:/ Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus:

V:/ Christ our God, with all the blessed saints in heaven:

V:/ Gaudium, quod est immensum atque probum.

V:/ such delight is pure and faultess, joy unbounded,

V:/ Saecula per infinita saeculorum.  Amen.

V:/ which endures through countless ages world without end.  Amen.



Maurice Durufle

One of the great arrangements, based on the Gregorian melody, is the Durufle (1901-1986) Ubi Caritas, which is part of his Quatre motets sur des themes gregorien, Op. 10 (1960).  Durufle is one of the great French organists of the 20th century, who has a modest, but wonderful catalog of works that obviously flow from a deep engagement with the Gregorian melodies handed down from the liturgical life of the Church.  (If you haven't ever heard it, make sure to go onto iTunes or Amazon tonight and get the English Chamber Orchestra recording conducted by Matthew Best (1992) of the Durufle Requiem... as a bonus this recording also includes the Four Motets.  The Telarc recording is decent as well, and as a bonus includes the Faure Requiem.)  Scored for six voices, and of moderate difficulty for a good church choir, the Durufle Ubi Caritas it includes the antiphon and the first four versicles, above.

Enjoy this YouTube entry, featuring Durufle's arrangement of the great chant for Holy Thursday: Ubi Caritas.