Lux, vita, caritas
“Light, life, love.”
Motto of St John’s College, Johannesburg
What does “Lux, vita, caritas” mean?
Lux, vita, caritas translates as “Light, life, love.”
Knowledge, life and love for others as guiding ideals.
“Lux, vita, caritas” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Lux | light | nominative singular feminine of lux, lucis, “light”; the subject of the phrase, though no verb is expressed |
| vita | life | nominative singular feminine of vita, “life” |
| caritas | love | nominative singular feminine of caritas, caritatis, “love, affection, esteem” |
How to pronounce “Lux, vita, caritas”
The difference is the v: Classical says w, Church Latin says v. Lux is one syllable in both; stress the first syllable of vita and of caritas.
The story behind it
Word for word the motto is three nouns in a row: “light, life, love”. There is no verb, so the line works as a list of ideals rather than a sentence.
It is the motto of St John’s College, a school in Johannesburg, South Africa. That makes it a modern motto written in Latin, not a line from an ancient author.
Light and life are central images in the Gospel of John, and caritas is the Christian Latin word for love. Treat that link as a likely echo of the school’s name, not a documented source of the motto.
How to use “Lux, vita, caritas”
It suits a school or club motto, a graduation or thank-you card, a tattoo of three short, balanced words, or a framed print for a home or classroom. Use it when you want a short statement of values.
- Latin
- Lux, vita, caritas
- English
- Light, life, love.
- Source
- Motto of St John’s College, Johannesburg
- Era
- Modern
- Theme
- Kindness
Common mistakes
- It is not an ancient Roman saying. Its source is a modern school motto.
- The three words are nouns, so do not add a verb such as “is”. Changing the endings would change the meaning.
- Caritas does not mean “charity” in the sense of giving money here. “Love” is the sense the motto intends.
- Do not write it as one word or leave out the commas: three separate words, lux, vita, caritas.
Questions about “Lux, vita, caritas”
What does “Lux, vita, caritas” mean?
It means “Light, life, love”. The three nouns are presented as guiding ideals, with no verb joining them.
Who said “Lux, vita, caritas”?
No ancient author. It is the motto of St John’s College in Johannesburg, South Africa.
How do you pronounce “Lux, vita, caritas”?
In Classical Latin: loox WEE-tah KAH-ree-tahs. In Church Latin: looks VEE-tah KAH-ree-tahs.
Is “Lux, vita, caritas” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. All three words are standard Latin nouns in the nominative case, and the phrase is grammatically sound as a list.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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