Sursum corda
“Lift up your hearts.”
Latin liturgy (Preface of the Mass)
What does “Sursum corda” mean?
Sursum corda translates as “Lift up your hearts.”
An invitation to raise one’s spirit and attention. It is used in worship and as encouragement in hard times.
“Sursum corda” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Sursum | upward, on high | adverb of direction, from sub + vorsum; here it means “up” or “raise” |
| corda | hearts | accusative plural (object) of cor, cordis, “heart”; neuter noun, and in Latin the heart is also the seat of mind and spirit |
How to pronounce “Sursum corda”
Both pronunciations sound the same here, since neither word contains a letter that differs between the systems. Stress the first syllable of both sursum and corda.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “upward, hearts”, with an understood verb: “lift up your hearts”. It is not a classical Roman saying but the opening of a liturgical dialogue of the Christian Church.
In the Latin Mass the priest begins the Preface with “Dominus vobiscum”, then says “Sursum corda”, and the people answer “Habemus ad Dominum” (“We have lifted them up to the Lord”). The exchange is very old: Cyprian of Carthage already mentions it in the third century.
In English the line is familiar as “Lift up your hearts”, and many churches still use it in their own languages. Outside worship it serves as a short call to courage and hope in hard times.
How to use “Sursum corda”
A fitting line for a card to someone who needs courage, a motto for a choir, church group or community project, or a quiet tattoo for a person of faith. It also works in a speech or essay as a call to hope.
- Latin
- Sursum corda
- English
- Lift up your hearts.
- Source
- Latin liturgy (Preface of the Mass)
- Era
- Church Latin
- Theme
- Hope
Common mistakes
- The heart here is not only the seat of feeling. In Latin cor also stands for mind and spirit, so the phrase invites attention as well as emotion.
- There is no verb in the Latin. “Lift up” is supplied in translation, so there is no need to add a Latin verb.
- The people’s answer, “Habemus ad Dominum”, is the response to the call, not part of it. It means “We have them (lifted up) to the Lord”.
- Do not call it a Roman proverb or classical quote. It is Church Latin from the liturgy.
Questions about “Sursum corda”
What does “Sursum corda” mean literally?
“Upward, hearts”, usually rendered “Lift up your hearts”. The verb is understood rather than written.
Where does “Sursum corda” come from?
It is part of the dialogue that opens the Preface in the Latin Mass, and the exchange goes back to the early Church.
How do you pronounce “Sursum corda”?
Say “SOOR-soom KOR-dah” in both Classical and Church pronunciation, with the stress on the first syllable of each word.
Is “Sursum corda” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is a genuine liturgical phrase and grammatically sound: an adverb plus a plural accusative noun with the verb understood.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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