Last Updated on February 1, 2024 by Kittredge Cherry
A Latin version of the Rainbow Christ Prayer is presented by Q Spirit for people who still use the ancient language. Latin was widely used as the official language of the Roman empire. Many saints wrote in Latin, and Jesus himself may have known some Latin.
It is considered a dead language now with no native speakers, but it was the predominant international language of religion, science, academia, literature and administration until the 18th century. Catholics were required to use Latin in the liturgy of the mass until the mid-20th century, and it remains the official language of the Roman Catholic Church. However, they haven’t prayed the Rainbow Christ Prayer at the Vatican — yet!
Colors of the LGBTQ rainbow flag reveal the many faces of the queer Christ in the Rainbow Christ Prayer by lesbian Christian author Kittredge Cherry and gay theologian Patrick S. Cheng. It matches the colors of the rainbow flag with the seven models of the queer Christ from Cheng’s book “From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ.” The Rainbow Christ Prayer is available in more than 20 languages at: https://qspirit.net/rainbow-christ-prayer-translated/
Here is a Latin version of the Rainbow Christ Prayer:
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Let us pray… Oremus…
Rainbow Christ, you embody all the colors of the world. Rainbows serve as bridges between different realms: heaven and earth, east and west, queer and non-queer. Inspire us to remember the values expressed in the rainbow flag of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.
Christus Iris, tu omnes mundi colores incarnas. Iris arcus ut pontes funguntur inter diversos dominos: caelum et terram, orientem et occidentem, queer et non-queer. Inspiramus ut commemorare valorem expressum in vexillo arcus iris communitatis lesbianarum, gayarum, bisexualium, transgenarum, intersexualium et queer.
Red is for life, the root of spirit. Living and Self-Loving Christ, you are our Root. Free us from shame and grant us the grace of healthy pride so we can follow our own inner light. With the red stripe in the rainbow, we give thanks that God created us just the way we are.
Color rubrum vitam significat, radicem spiritus. Christus Vivus et Amorosus, tu es radix nostra. Libera nos a pudore et concede nobis gratiam sanum superbiae, ut possimus sequi lucem interiorem nostram. Gratias agimus tibi pro rubea virgula arcus iris, quia Deus nos creavit talis qualis sumus.
Orange is for sexuality, the fire of spirit. Erotic Christ, you are our Fire, the Word made flesh. Free us from exploitation and grant us the grace of mutual relationships. With the orange stripe in the rainbow, kindle a fire of passion in us.
Color aurantiacus sexualitatem significat, ignem spiritus. Christus Eroticus, tu es ignis noster, Verbum caro factum. Libera nos ab exploitatione et concede nobis gratiam vivendi in mutua relatione. Cum aurantiaca virgula arcus iris, ignem passionis in nobis accende.
Yellow is for self-esteem, the core of spirit. Out Christ, you are our Core. Free us from closets of secrecy and give us the guts and grace to come out. With the yellow stripe in the rainbow, build our confidence.
Color flavum autem est amor sui, nucleum spiritus. Christus Assumptus, tu es nostra essentia. Libera nos a clandestina claustra et da nobis fortitudinem ac gratiam exire. Cum flava virgula arcus iris, fiduciam nostram aedifica.
Green is for love, the heart of spirit. Transgressive Outlaw Christ, you are our Heart, breaking rules out of love. In a world obsessed with purity, you touch the sick and eat with outcasts. Free us from conformity and grant us the grace of deviance. With the green stripe in the rainbow, fill our hearts with untamed compassion for all beings.
Color viridis amorem significat, cordem spiritus. Christus Transgressor, tu es cor nostrum, regulas frangens nomine amoris. In mundo puritati obsoleti, tu infirmos tangis et cum marginalibus edis. Libera nos ab conformitate et concede nobis gratiam transgressionis. Cum viridi virgula arcus iris, corda nostra compassionem imple in omnia viventia.
Blue is for self-expression, the voice of spirit. Liberator Christ, you are our Voice, speaking out against all forms of oppression. Free us from apathy and grant us the grace of activism. With the blue stripe in the rainbow, motivate us to call for justice.
Color caeruleum autem est autoexpressio, vox spiritus. Christus Liberator, tu es vox nostra, omnem oppressionem denuntians. Libera nos ab apathia et concede nobis gratiam activismi. Cum caerulea virgula arcus iris, nos ad iustitiam proclamandam hortare.
Violet is for vision, the wisdom of spirit. Interconnected Christ, you are our Wisdom, creating and sustaining the universe. Free us from isolation and grant us the grace of interdependence. With the violet stripe in the rainbow, connect us with others and with the whole creation.
Color purpureum visionem, sapientiam spiritus significat. Christus Rizomaticus, tu es sapientia nostra, universum creans et sustinens. Libera nos ab isolatione et concede nobis gratiam interdependentiae. Cum purpurea virgula in arcu iris, nos cum aliis viventibus et cum tota creatione connecte.
Rainbow colors come together to make one light, the crown of universal consciousness. Hybrid and All-Encompassing Christ, you are our Crown, both human and divine. Free us from rigid categories and grant us the grace of interwoven identities. With the rainbow, lead us beyond black-and-white thinking to experience the whole spectrum of life.
Coloribus arcus iris coniunguntur ut unum lumen creent, coronam universalis conscientiae. Christe Hybridae et Omnipraesens, tu es nostra corona, tam humana quam divina. Libera nos ab rigidis categoriis et concede nobis gratiam vivendi identitates intertexere. Cum arcu iris, duc nos ultra binariam cogitationem in nigro et albo ad experientiam totius vitae spectri.
Rainbow Christ, you light up the world. You make rainbows as a promise to support all life on earth. In the rainbow space, we can see all the hidden connections between sexualities, genders and races. Like the rainbow, may we embody all the colors of the world! Amen.
Christe Iris, tu mundum illuminas. Tu arcus irides creas ut promissionem facias omnes vitas in terra sustentare. In spatio arcus iridis, videre possumus omnes connexiones occulta inter sexualitates, genera et nationes. Sicut in arcu iris, concede nobis ut possimus omnes mundi colores incarnare. Amen.
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Rainbow Christ Prayer | Oratio ad Christum Iris
Latin: Translated by Anderson Santos of Bogota, Columbia | Textum Traductum Pro Andersōnus, Ex Colombia.
Click here for translations in more than 20 languages
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This post is part of the LGBTQ Calendar series by Kittredge Cherry. The series celebrates religious and spiritual holidays, events in LGBT and queer history, holy days, feast days, festivals, anniversaries, liturgical seasons and other occasions of special interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people of faith and our allies.
Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
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