What We Believe
A Creed is a statement of belief.
Paragraph 195 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states:
“The Niceno-Constantinopolitan or Nicene Creed draws its great authority from the fact that it stems from the first two ecumenical Councils (in 325 and 381). It remains common to all the great Churches of both East and West to this day.”
This page will take the Nicene Creed section by section with explanations taken from the Catechism.
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
“Our profession of faith begins with God, for God is the First and the Last, (cf. Isa 44:6) the beginning and the end of everything. The Credo begins with God the Father, for the Father is the first divine person of the Most Holy Trinity; our Creed begins with the creation of heaven and earth, for creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God's works.” CCC, 198.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
“Jesus revealed that God is Father in an unheard-of sense: He is Father not only in being Creator; he is eternally Father in relation to his only Son, who is eternally Son only in relation to his Father: "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."(Mt 11:27)” CCC, 240.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
“We believe and confess that Jesus of Nazareth, born a Jew of a daughter of Israel at Bethlehem at the time of King Herod the Great and the emperor Caesar Augustus, a carpenter by trade, who died crucified in Jerusalem under the procurator Pontius Pilate during the reign of the emperor Tiberius, is the eternal Son of God made man. He 'came from God' (Jn 13:3), 'descended from heaven' (Jn 3:13; 6:33), and 'came in the flesh' (1 Jn 4:2). For 'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. . . And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace” (Jn 1:14, 16).” CCC, 423.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
“The Paschal mystery of Christ's cross and Resurrection stands at the center of the Good News that the apostles, and the Church following them, are to proclaim to the world. God's saving plan was accomplished "once for all"(Heb 9:26) by the redemptive death of his Son Jesus Christ.” CCC, 571.
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
“"We bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this day he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus."(Acts 13:32-33) The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ, a faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by Tradition” CCC, 638.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
“Christ's Ascension marks the definitive entrance of Jesus' humanity into God's heavenly domain, whence he will come again (cf. Acts 1:11); this humanity in the meantime hides him from the eyes of men (cf. Col 3:3).” CCC, 665.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
“"No one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit."(1 Cor 12:3) "God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!"'(Gal 4:6) This knowledge of faith is possible only in the Holy Spirit: to be in touch with Christ, we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit. He comes to meet us and kindles faith in us.“ CCC, 683.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.