Caritas in veritate
“Charity in truth.”
Benedict XVI, encyclical Caritas in veritate (2009)
What does “Caritas in veritate” mean?
Caritas in veritate translates as “Charity in truth.”
Love and care for others should be grounded in honesty and truth.
“Caritas in veritate” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Caritas | charity, love | nominative singular feminine of caritas, “love, esteem, charity”; the subject of the phrase. It is the Latin word used for Christian love |
| in | in | a preposition that takes the ablative here, meaning “in” or “within” (with the accusative it would mean “into”) |
| veritate | truth | ablative singular of veritas, “truth”; the ablative after in gives the sense “in truth” |
How to pronounce “Caritas in veritate”
Classical Latin pronounces v as w and the Church style as v; the stress is the same in both, on the first syllable of caritas and the third of veritate. The Church pronunciation fits this quote best, since it is a papal text.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “charity in truth”. It comes from the title and opening words of Caritas in veritate, the third encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, published in 2009.
An encyclical is a formal letter from the pope to the Church. This one deals with integral human development and the global economy, and it argues that love for others and the search for truth must go together.
The idea is that charity without truth can slide into sentimentality, and truth without charity can become cold. Because the phrase is so short and balanced, it is often quoted on its own, especially in Catholic settings.
How to use “Caritas in veritate”
It suits a Catholic school or charity motto, a confirmation or ordination card, or an essay on faith and ethics. As a tattoo or print, it works for anyone who wants a reminder to be kind and honest together.
- Latin
- Caritas in veritate
- English
- Charity in truth.
- Source
- Benedict XVI, encyclical Caritas in veritate (2009)
- Era
- Modern Latin
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- It is a modern phrase from a 2009 papal document, not a classical Roman saying. Do not credit it to Cicero or any ancient author.
- Caritas is not the same as the English “charity” in the sense of giving money. It means love in a wide sense, and Benedict uses it for self-giving love.
- Veritate must stay in the ablative after in. Writing “in veritas” or “in veritatem” would be wrong and would change the grammar or the meaning.
Questions about “Caritas in veritate”
What does “Caritas in veritate” mean literally?
“Charity in truth”, or “love in truth”. Caritas is love or charity, and veritate is the ablative of veritas, truth.
Who said “Caritas in veritate”?
It is the title and opening words of Pope Benedict XVI’s 2009 encyclical of the same name. It is not an ancient Roman quotation.
How do you pronounce “Caritas in veritate”?
In Church Latin: KAH-ree-tahs in veh-ree-TAH-teh. In Classical Latin the v sounds like w.
Is “Caritas in veritate” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is grammatically correct, with veritate in the ablative after in. Just note that it is modern Church Latin, not classical.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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