Creed

Icon that represents the Emperor Constantine and the Fathers of the Council of Nicaea of 325 with the Greek text of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan symbol of the year 381 in its liturgical form.

A creed is a declaration or confession of faith that is shared by a religious community, and in particular is a fixed formula that is recited in the liturgy.

The best-known formula is the Nicene-Constantinopolitan symbol (also called the Nicene symbol). In the liturgy of the Catholic Church and various Protestant denominations, the symbol of the apostles is also used.

History

The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, which at the end of the century V was recited in the liturgy in Antioch and since 511 in Constantinople, was introduced into the liturgy of Western Christianity by decision of the III Council of Toledo in the year 589.

The practice spread in Spain, the British Isles, and the Frankish kingdom, but for a long time it was not accepted in Rome. When Charlemagne convened a council in Aachen in 809 and wanted papal approval of the council's decision to include the Filioque clause in the Creed, Pope Leo III opposed the addition (despite declaring orthodox the expressed doctrine) and suggested following the example of Rome by not including the Creed in the celebration of the mass.

In 1014, on the occasion of his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor, Henry II asked Pope Benedict VIII to recite the Creed at mass. The pope agreed to his request, so for the first time in history the Creed was used at mass in Rome.

Formulas

Two formulas are used: the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Symbol (often called the Nicene Symbol) and the Apostles' Symbol.

Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed

What is commonly called the "Nicene Creed" and more correctly the "Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed" It is not exactly the text formulated during the Second Ecumenical Council in the City of Constantinople (year 381), a radical revision of the text of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (in the year 325). The texts that are best known for being from the Byzantine and Roman liturgies differ from that of that Council of the year 381 by using the singular number of the verbs "I believe", "I confess", "I hope": what the original text says is "We believe" (πιστεύομεν), "We confess" (ὁμολογοῦμεν), "We hope" (προσδοκοῦμεν). The text of the Mozarabic liturgy preserves the plural form. The Latin texts have two sentences missing from the original text of the Council of Constantinople (381). One, Deum de Deo, was found in the symbol of the Council of Nicaea (325) but not in the text of the year 381. On the other, 'Filioque in the Roman rite, et Filio in the Mozarabic rite, there has been an important controversy between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. In addition, the Mozarabic text adds, after Per quem omnia facta sunt, quae in cælo, et quae in terra, a phrase also present in symbol 325, but not in symbol 381, and omits, when speaking of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the two phrases pro nobis and secundum Scripturas.

Liturgical text in Greek (Byzantine rite) and Latin (Roman rite)

Greekπορα ποιτορα, ποιτορα, οιτορα, ποιτεν ο.ραν ο.ρανο. κανο. κανοὶ κανγ marginος, γρταν τεν πάντεν πεντντν καν καν καν καν καν καν καν καν καν καν κα καν καν καν κα κα κα κα κα κα κα κα κα κα καν πικα πιν κρερεεεειιιν πιν πιν πεεεεεεεεεειν πιιν πινιν κν πινιν πιν
Καίιστόνν, τ.ν το.ν το.ν το.ν το.ν το.ν το. το. γεο. τον μονονογεν margin, τ.ν κ το. γενενενενενενενενπνπνενενενενπν πν πν πν πνεν πνενενεν πρ.εν πνεν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν πν φωτιος, γενν κλθιν.ν κ κ ποιεο, λλλθινο., γενιιικιιθιντα ο. ποιειιταντα, σιον τιον ταρεικικικικικιειειειειειεν ον ον π ονγικιειειειεικιειειεικιειειειειειειειεικιειειειειειειειειειειειειειειον ον ον ον ον πν ον ον ον γν πν πν πν πν πν πιον ον πιον ον ειον Τ.ν δι'.μ.ς το.ς σιετρίαν καν καν στρίαν καν καν καετελθόντα κμετνανιαν οραν κανικος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος σος κονιριριριρικος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος κος σονγονγος κονγος κος σονγονγονγονγρεονγριριριριριριρεονγν σταυρωθιτα τα τε π.ρ.μίν κοντίου κιλάτου, καίου, παθόντα κα σα είου ταου ταρταρταρταντανταρτα. Κα‐block φναστάντα τ. τ. ερεικιρ. κατικιτις ・ραφάς. Καίελθόντα είος το.ς καρανο.ς κακαθερόμενον /25070/κκ δείον τον το. κατρός. Κα observa πάλιν /25070/ρχόμενον μενον δετονον δος κρίοαι κος καος κας καρορος, ο. τος ο.κ.σται τοι τος τος
Κα-bound ες τ, ε,μα τ,,γιον, τ, Κριον, τ, ωοποιόν, τ, το, κ το, πρΠς κπορευόενονονον, τ, σ,ν σ,ν σ,ν σὶν σ,ν σ,ν σ,ν σ,ν πν εν εν κατατατατατατατατατα σικα κειερεικειον κιον κιον κιον κτον κιον κτον κιον κιον κον κιον κιον κον κιονιον κ κιον κιον κιονιον κον Í. συμπροσκυνοςμενον σον σον σον σον σον σον καον σον καον σον καον καον καον σον κονον σονον κον σον κονονονον κον σον σονον κονον κονον σον κον σονονονον κον σον σον σον σον σονονονονονον σον κον σον σονον κον σον σονον σονον κον κον σονον κονονον κον σ
.γίαν,.γίαν, Καθολικ.ν ποστολικ.ν.κκλλικικ.αν..μολογιν γν.άπτισμα εις εσιν.μαρτιν. προσδοκος φνάστασιν νεκριν. Καの.ν το. μέλοντος αίος.
.μγν.

LatinCredo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentm, 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
Et in Spíritum 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.

Liturgical text in Spanish (Roman rite)

I believe in one God, Almighty Father, Creator of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, born of the Father before all the centuries: God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, uncreated, of the same nature as the Father, by whom all was done; that by us, men, and by our salvation came down from heaven, and by the work of the Holy Spirit was taken care of Mary, the Virgin, and became a man.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son receives the same worship and glory, and who spoke by the prophets.
I believe in the Church, which is one, holy, Catholic and apostolic. I confess that there is only one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the future world.
Amen.

Mozárabe liturgical text

LatinCredimus in unum Deum Patrem omnipotentm, visibilium omnium et invisibilium Conditorem.
Et in unum Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, Filium Dei Unigénitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia sæcula. Deum ex Deo, Lumen ex Lumine. Deum verum ex Deo vero, natum non factum, Omousion Patri, hoc est, eiusdem cum Patre substantiae, Per quem omnia facta sunt, quae in cælo, et quae in terra.
Qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem, descendit de caelis, et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.
Passus sub Pontio Pilate, sepultus, tertia die resurrexit, ascendit ad cælos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis. Inde venturus est iudicare viva et mortuos, cuius regni non erit finis.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum vivificatorem, et ex Patre et Filio appropriatem. Cum Patre et Filio adorandum et conglorificandum. Qui locutus est per prophetas.
Et unam, sanctam, Catholicam et Apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confitemur unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. Expectamus resurrectionem mortuorum et vitam venturi sæculi.
Amen.

SpanishWe believe in one God Almighty Father, maker of heaven and earth, creator of all that is visible and invisible.
And in one Lord our Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, born, not made, omoosion with the Father, that is, of the very nature of the Father, by whom all was done, in heaven and on earth.
That by us men, and by our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the work of the Holy Spirit he took care of Mary, the Virgin, and became a man;
He suffered under the power of Pontius Pilate, was buried, rose on the third day, ascended to heaven, sitting on the right hand of God the Almighty Father. From there he shall come to judge alive and dead, and his kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is to be worshipped and glorified, and who spoke by the prophets.
And in the Church that is one, holy, Catholic and apostolic. We confess that there is only one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, we expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the future world. Amen.

Symbol or Creed of the Apostles

Exhibition in a mural painting of the Apostles' Creed in an Anglican church.

The so-called Apostles' Creed or Apostles' Creed is the baptismal symbol of the Roman Church. Its great authority comes from this fact. Saint Ambrose said: "It is the symbol that guards the Roman Church, which was the seat of Peter, the first of the Apostles, and to which he brought the common doctrine." And its name, "Symbol of the Apostles", is due to the fact that it is considered the faithful summary of the faith of the apostles.

LatinCredo in Deum Patrem omnipotentm, Creatorem caeli et terrae, et in Iesum Christum, Filium Eius unicum, Dominum nostrum, qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus, descendit ad inferos, tertia di resurrexit Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.

Spanish I believe in God, Almighty Father, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the work and grace of the Holy Spirit, was born of Saint Mary the Virgin; he suffered under the power of Pontius Pilate, he was crucified, dead and buried, descended to hell, on the third day he rose from the dead, and went up to heaven, sits on the right hand of God, Father almighty. From there he must come to judge alive and dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the flesh and eternal life. Amen.

Its dogmatic content is as follows:

• I believe in God: “Our God is the only Lord.”
• Father Almighty"What is impossible for men is possible for God."
• Creator of heaven and earth: «In the beginning of everything, God created heaven and earth».
• I believe in Jesus Christ: "He is the glorious radiance of God, the very image of what God is."
• His only Son"For God so loved the world, that He gave His One Son, that whoever believes in Him may not die, but have eternal life."
• Our Lord: «God has made it Lord and Messiah».
• Who was conceived by the work and grace of the Holy Spirit: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High God will cover you with his shadow. Therefore, the child who is to be born will be called Holy and Son of God."
• Born of Saint Mary the Virgin: “All this happened so that what the Lord had said through the prophet was fulfilled: ‘the virgin will be pregnant and will have a son, whom he will name Emmanuel’, which means ‘God with us’”.
• He suffered under the power of Pontius PilatePilate then took Jesus and sent him to scourge him. The soldiers braided a crown of thorns, put it in the head of Jesus, and clothed it with a layer of dark red."
• It was crucified.: “Jesus went forth carrying his cross, to go to the so-called ‘place of the skull’, which is called Golgotha in Hebrew. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one by each side. Pilate sent a sign on the cross, saying, 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews'.
• Dead and buried"Jesus cried hard and said, "Father in your hands I entrust my spirit! And when he said this, he died." "After coming down from the cross, they wrapped him in a linen sheet and put him in an open tomb in a rock, where they had not yet buried anyone."
• He descended to hell.: “As a man, he died; but as a spiritual being he is, he returned to life. And as a spiritual being, he went and preached to the spirits that were imprisoned."
• On the third day he rose from the dead"Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say, that they buried him and that he rose on the third day."
• He went up to heaven, sits on the right of God Almighty Father: «The Lord Jesus was taken to heaven and sat on the right hand of God».
• From there he will come to judge alive and dead"He sent us to proclaim to the people that God has made him judge of the living and the dead."
• I believe in the Holy Spirit"For God has filled our heart with his love through the Holy Spirit who has given us."
• The Holy Catholic Church: «Faith confesses that the Church [...] cannot fail to be holy». "In fact, Christ, the Son of God, whom with the Father and with the Spirit is proclaimed 'the only saint', loved his Church as his wife." "He gave himself up for her to sanctify her, united her as his own body and filled her with the gift of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God." The Church is, therefore, "the holy People of God", and its members are called "holy." In Greek, καθολικ margin (katholikḗIt means universal. By faith, man is saved by confessing that Jesus is his Lord and Savior, regardless of the country of origin: "[...] Many will come from the east and the west, and will sit with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."
• The Communion of Saints:
• The forgiveness of sins: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all evil.”
• The Resurrection of the flesh: «Christ will give new life to his mortal bodies».
• And eternal life"There shall be no night, and they that live there shall not need light of lamp or light of the sun: for God the Lord shall give them his light, and they shall reign for ever."
• Amen.Come, Lord Jesus!

Roman Rite

In the 1969 revised Roman Rite Mass, the Creed is recited at the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Word, after the homily and before the Prayers of the Faithful. "The Symbol or profession of faith tends to ensure that all the assembled people respond to the Word of God announced in the readings of Sacred Scripture and expounded in the homily, and that, by proclaiming the norm of their faith, with the formula approved for liturgical use, remember and confess the great mysteries of faith, before beginning your celebration in the Eucharist."

It is recited only on Sundays and solemnities, but it can also be said in peculiar, more solemn celebrations. It is sometimes omitted after the profession of faith expressed in a renewal of baptismal promises.

If it is sung, it is started by the priest or, depending on the opportunity, a cantor, or the choir, but they all sing it together. If it is not sung, they recite it all together, or to two choirs alternating with each other.

At the mention of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, a deep bow should be made. At Christmas and on the day of the Annunciation, everyone kneels in this part.

The Missal indicates in the first place the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, but allows it to be replaced, particularly in Lent and Easter Season, by the baptismal Creed of the Roman Church known as the Creed of the Apostles.

In the Tridentine Mass the Creed is recited on Sundays (even if, as was common before Pius X's reform, the mass celebrated is not on Sunday but on a feast on which the Creed is not normally recited), on the Feasts of the Apostles and Doctors of the Church, and on various other Masses listed in editions of the Roman Missal prior to the 1962 edition. The 1962 edition published by John XXIII reduced the number of such Masses, excluding, for example, the recitation of the Creed for the sole reason of a commemoration of another feast. To the words et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine: et homo factus est, always make a genuflection.

Currently, due to Benedict XVI's motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, all priests of the Latin Church are allowed to use the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal instead of the most recent one, without asking the permission of no one, when they celebrate Mass privately, and also, under certain conditions, with the permission of the sole rector of the church when they celebrate publicly.

Byzantine Rite

In the Orthodox Churches the text of the Creed is always the Greek liturgical form of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed and is recited at every celebration of the Divine Liturgy, not just on Sundays. During the recitation, the bread and wine are ventilated with a veil, an action that represents the descent of the Holy Spirit.

Mozarabic rite

The Creed is recited in the Mozarabic rite after the consecration and before the Our Father. Before its appearance in any other Western liturgy, it was inserted into the Mozarabic or Hispanic mass by the Third Council of Toledo in 589, in imitation of what was done in the East and "with the precise function of preparing the faithful for communion... so that the Christian community may unite with Christ, in prayer and in sacramental communion, having confirmed their faith in his full divinity, God equal to the Father, according to the doctrine of the Catholic Church. &#3. 4; As in the Byzantine rite, the Creed is said at all masses and is not reserved, as in the Roman rite, for Sundays and more solemn feasts.

Anglicanism

When celebrating "Holy Communion," the Church of England now authorizes the use of not only the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Symbol, the Apostles Symbol and the Quicumque Symbol (these three mentioned in the Thirty-Nine Articles), but also many other professions of faith.

Methodism

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, when revising the Anglican liturgy, omitted mention of the three symbols then recognized by the Church of England, but kept them in the Morning and Evening Prayers (Matins and Vespers). At a certain point they ceased to be celebrated, but the Apostles' Creed was inserted in 1896 in the main service of worship.

Lutheranism

In Germany, Lutherans use the Apostles' Creed in their liturgy. In the United States they also use the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, suggesting the latter for more solemn occasions.

Musical arrangements

In a sung Mass, the Creed (in the traditional form of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed) is the longest text in the entire Ordinary of Sunday or solemn Mass. That is why the polyphonic compositions of the Ordinary of the Mass, which do not include the Creed, are called Missae breves. This term is not normally applied to a polyphonic requiem: a requiem mass has no Creed, but the musical arrangement usually includes the Dies irae, which is longer than the Creed.

Composers of musical masses include Josquin des Prés (who perfected the parody mass technique), Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Alessandro Scarlatti, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (for example, the Credo Mass), Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Charles Gounod, Anton Bruckner and Igor Stravinsky.