What the Church believes
The Creed
In the Creed, the Church professes the Faith handed down from the Apostles — the truths we believe about God the Father, Jesus Christ His only Son, the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, and the life of the world to come. Every Catholic is called to know, believe, and live this Faith. The Creed is how the Church says it together. No one is made, or unmade, a Catholic by whether they can recite it from memory.
The Apostles’ Creed is the baptismal creed of the West, used at Baptism and with the Rosary. The Nicene Creed is the creed of the councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, said at Mass. They are one Faith in two texts. Neither is a test of wit.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. 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. 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. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, He suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. 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. 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. 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.
Listen
Woman
In Latin, the opening of the Credo
Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipoténtem, factórem cæli et terræ, visibílium ómnium et invisibílium. Et in unum Dóminum Iesum Christum, Fílium Dei Unigénitum, et ex Patre natum ante ómnia sæcula. Deum de Deo, lumen de lúmine, Deum verum de Deo vero, génitum, non factum, consubstantiálem Patri: per quem ómnia facta sunt.
Explanation (One True Faith). See Catechism §§ 185–1065. The Holy See’s text. The councils that gave the Nicene faith are Nicaea and Constantinople.