The Nicene Creed is the great profession of faith of the Church, prayed at Mass on Sundays and solemnities. It sets out what Christians believe about God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Church, in words first agreed on by the bishops of the early Church.
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages; God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made.
Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and became incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. And on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
(Traditional English translation)
At Mass
At Mass today, the Nicene Creed is prayed in a newer English translation, which begins "I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible..." and includes the word "consubstantial." Follow the version in your parish missalette when at Mass. The meaning is the same.
At the words "and became incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man," all bow. On Christmas and the Solemnity of the Annunciation, all kneel instead, honoring the moment God became man.
Where It Comes From
The Nicene Creed comes from two of the first great councils of the Church:
- The Council of Nicaea (325 AD) wrote the first part to defend the truth that Jesus is fully God, against the teaching of Arius, who claimed the Son was a created being. That is why the Creed insists Jesus is "begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father."
- The First Council of Constantinople (381 AD) expanded the section on the Holy Spirit, confirming that He too is God, "adored and glorified" with the Father and the Son.
For this reason, it is sometimes called the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. For over 1,600 years, it has united Christians around the world in one faith.
What It Means
Like the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed is built around the Holy Trinity:
- God the Father, Creator of everything, seen and unseen
- God the Son, eternally begotten, true God, who became man, died, rose, and will come again
- God the Holy Spirit, the giver of life, who spoke through the prophets
- The Church, one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, with baptism, the resurrection, and eternal life
Nicene Creed vs. Apostles' Creed
| Apostles' Creed | Nicene Creed | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Ancient baptismal creed of Rome | Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381) |
| Length | Shorter | Longer, more detailed |
| Where prayed | The Holy Rosary, baptism | Mass on Sundays and solemnities |
| Focus | Basic summary of faith | Defends the full divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit |
Both profess the same faith. At Mass, especially during Lent and Easter, the Apostles' Creed may be used in place of the Nicene Creed.
In Latin (Credo)
Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem caeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
Et in unum Dominum Iesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula. Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri: per quem omnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de caelis. Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato; passus et sepultus est, et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas, et ascendit in caelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris. Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, iudicare vivos et mortuos, cuius regni non erit finis.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem: qui ex Patre Filioque procedit. Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur: qui locutus est per prophetas.
Et unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.