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 sǽcula. Deum de Deo, lumen de lúmine, Deum verum de Deo vero. Génitum, non factum, consubstantiálem Patri: per quem ómnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos hómines et propter nostram salútem descéndit de cælis. Et incarnátus est de Spíritu Sancto ex María Vírgine: et homo factus est.
✦Crucifíxus étiam pro nobis: sub Póntio Piláto passus, et sepúltus est. Et resurréxit tértia die, secúndum Scriptúras. Et ascéndit in cælum: sedet ad déxteram Patris. Et íterum ventúrus est cum glória iudicáre vivos et mórtuos: cuius regni non erit finis.
✦Et in Spíritum Sanctum, Dóminum et vivificántem: qui ex Patre Filióque procédit. Qui cum Patre et Fílio simul adorátur et conglorificátur: qui locútus est per Prophétas.
Et unam sanctam cathólicam et apostólicam Ecclésiam. Confíteor unum baptísma in remissiónem peccatórum. Et exspécto resurrectiónem mortuórum. Et vitam ventúri sǽculi. Amen.
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. And born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God. Begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father: by whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary: and was made man.
He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. And he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead: of whose kingdom there shall be no end.
And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life: who proceedeth 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.
The Nicene Creed is the Church's great profession of faith, proclaimed at Mass on Sundays and the greater feasts. It was forged not in peace but in battle — against the heresy of Arius, who denied that the Son is truly God. At the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325, the Fathers confessed the Son to be consubstantial with the Father (in Greek, homoousios — "of one substance"), the single word that guards the whole mystery of the Incarnation.
The creed we sing was completed at the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople in 381, which added the fuller confession of the Holy Ghost, "the Lord and Giver of life," and of the Church, baptism, and the life to come. In the Latin West the words Filioque — "and the Son" — were added, professing that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son together.
In the traditional Mass, at the words et incarnatus est... et homo factus est ("and was made man"), the priest and all the faithful genuflect, adoring the moment when God took flesh in the womb of the Virgin. On Christmas and the Annunciation, when the Church especially celebrates the Incarnation, all kneel.
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.
And born of the Father before all ages.
God of God, Light of Light,
true God of true God.
Begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father:
by whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven.
And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost
of the Virgin Mary: and was made man.
He was crucified also for us,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried.
And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
And he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead:
of whose kingdom there shall be no end.
And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life:
who proceedeth 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.
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 sǽcula.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lúmine,
Deum verum de Deo vero.
Génitum, non factum, consubstantiálem Patri:
per quem ómnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos hómines et propter nostram salútem
descéndit de cælis.
Et incarnátus est de Spíritu Sancto
ex María Vírgine: et homo factus est.
Crucifíxus étiam pro nobis:
sub Póntio Piláto passus, et sepúltus est.
Et resurréxit tértia die, secúndum Scriptúras.
Et ascéndit in cælum: sedet ad déxteram Patris.
Et íterum ventúrus est cum glória
iudicáre vivos et mórtuos:
cuius regni non erit finis.
Et in Spíritum Sanctum, Dóminum et vivificántem:
qui ex Patre Filióque procédit.
Qui cum Patre et Fílio simul adorátur et conglorificátur:
qui locútus est per Prophétas.
Et unam sanctam cathólicam et apostólicam Ecclésiam.
Confíteor unum baptísma in remissiónem peccatórum.
Et exspécto resurrectiónem mortuórum.
Et vitam ventúri sǽculi. Amen.
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.
And born of the Father before all ages.
God of God, Light of Light,
true God of true God.
Begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father:
by whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven.
And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost
of the Virgin Mary: and was made man.
He was crucified also for us,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried.
And the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
And he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead:
of whose kingdom there shall be no end.
And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life:
who proceedeth 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.