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New Spanish, French prayer book translations now available

December 8, 2022
Office of Public Affairs

New, certified Spanish and French translations of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer are available online. Printed copies will be available Jan. 20.

The translations were prepared under the supervision of the Task Force for Liturgical Translations, a subcommittee of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music. The new translations were called for by the 2018 General Convention through resolution A070 and included an opportunity for churchwide feedback last fall.

The Rev. Juan Oliver, who was the custodian of the prayer book when the new translations were being prepared, noted that the new translations were prepared by a team of professional translators with expertise in both literary translation as well as cultural sensitivity.

An additional translation into Haitian Creole is forthcoming.

“It has been clear for some years that new translations of the prayer book have been sorely needed,” said the Rt. Rev. J. Neil Alexander, who succeeded Oliver as prayer book custodian. “The current editions in Spanish and French were literal in their orientation, but effective liturgical texts require a level of fluidity, literary depth, and aural clarity. While no translation is ever perfect, these new texts provide a new level of richness to those in our church who pray common prayer in Spanish and French. I welcome their appearance and encourage their use as widely as possible.”

The translations were developed by professional literary translators and edited by teams of editors, all native speakers. Team members were as follows:

  • French: Florence LeSur, translator; Bishop Pierre Whalon, Helene Whalon, and the Rev. Luke DeVolder, editors.
  • Spanish: Hugo Olaiz, translator; the Revs. Juan M.C. Oliver, and Susan Saucedo Sica, editors.

Link to El Libro de Oración Común (Spanish translation)
Link to Le Livre de la Prière Commune (French translation)