The capital virtues

Sunday June 7, 2026

• Chastity opposes Lust
• Temperance opposes Gluttony
• Charity opposes Greed
• Diligence opposes Sloth
• Kindness opposes Envy
• Patience opposes Wrath
• Humility opposes Pride

Pope Gregory I is responsible for the usual list of capital sins, commonly known as the seven deadly sins. This list is in Catholic catechism. "The capital virtues" is a list of "contrary" or "remedial" virtues that oppose the capital sins. It isn't in catechism, but people still talk about it. The virtues side doesn't have a clear date... maybe 1200-1500?

This list of seven is not the "seven heavenly virtues," which combines the four cardinal Platonic virtues and the three theological virtues, but it does partially overlap with it. (The extent of overlap depends somewhat on word choice.) And then there are seven "Gifts of the Spirit" and 9 or 12 "Fruits of the Spirit," with even more overlaps.

This technique of choosing virtues in opposition to vices is interesting. Compare, for example, to Aristotle's somewhat different idea of virtues as "means" between extremes.