The Apostles Creed
The Apostles' Creed is a traditional profession of Christian faith that summarizes belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The traditional English text begins, "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth," and concludes with "the life everlasting. Amen." Catholics recite this ancient statement of belief at the opening of the Rosary and during the Church's rites of baptism. Known in Latin as the Symbolum Apostolorum, this prayer has served generations as a public declaration of the apostolic faith.
A pious tradition holds that the twelve apostles each contributed one of its articles. That account is a tradition and is not documented history. The text took shape over the early centuries of the Church as believers gathered and passed down the core doctrines received from the first disciples. The Apostles' Creed is shorter than the Nicene Creed, which came from the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople and is recited at Sunday Mass.
The Apostles' Creed focuses on the essential articles of the Christian confession. It addresses the Father as Creator, details the conception, birth, passion, descent to the dead, resurrection, ascension, and future judgment of the Son, and professes belief in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and eternal life.
The Apostles' Creed Traditional English Text
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
A Prayer Meditating on the Articles of the Apostles' Creed
Almighty God, Father and Maker of heaven and earth, we lift our voices to confess the faith delivered to the saints. We believe in Your power and praise You for the visible and invisible works of Your hands. We confess our Lord Jesus Christ, Your only-begotten Son, who took our human flesh, was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and was born of the Virgin Mary. We remember His holy cross, His suffering under Pontius Pilate, His death, and His burial in the tomb. We remember His descent to the abode of the dead, where He brought the light of redemption to the souls who waited. We confess that on the third day He rose victorious from the dead, that He ascended into the heights of heaven, and that He sitteth at Your right hand in glory. We acknowledge that He will return to judge both the quick and the dead. We profess our faith in the Holy Ghost, who sanctifies our lives and guides the universal Church. We give thanks for the holy catholic Church, the communion of all the saints, the pardon of our sins through Christ's sacrifice, the future resurrection of our earthly bodies, and the gift of life everlasting. Amen.
A Prayer for Faith During Seasons of Doubt
Lord God, Heavenly Father, You know the weakness of our hearts and the questions that rise within our minds when life feels heavy and our understanding falters. We come before You holding the words of the Apostles' Creed that the Church has spoken through the centuries. When our confidence wavers, sustain us by Your grace. We remember the confession that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He suffered, died, and rose again from the dead for our salvation. We place our troubled thoughts beside the certainty of His resurrection. Send the Holy Ghost to comfort our spirits, to remind us of the forgiveness of sins, and to keep our feet planted upon the rock of Your truth. When we cannot see the road ahead, teach us to trust Your eternal mercy, knowing that You hold the quick and the dead in Your hands. Grant us the resolve to remain united with the communion of saints and steadfast in the hope of life everlasting. We offer this petition in the holy name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
A Prayer for Baptism and Catechumens
Heavenly Father, You commanded Your disciples to go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. We lift up before You every child, catechumen, and convert preparing to make their profession of faith at the waters of holy baptism. As they prepare to speak the words of the Apostles' Creed, plant Your word deep within their hearts. Grant them reverence for You as the Maker of heaven and earth. Give them living trust in Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary, crucified for our redemption, and raised on the third day. Pour out the Holy Ghost upon them so they may walk in newness of life as faithful members of the holy catholic Church. Protect them through all trials, nourish them in the fellowship of the communion of saints, and keep them secure in the promise of the resurrection of the body and eternal life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Prayer at the Opening of the Holy Rosary
Lord Jesus Christ, as we begin this Rosary, we hold the crucifix in our hands and profess the Apostles' Creed. We unite our minds with the testimony of the apostles and the faith of Your universal Church. As we speak the words that declare Your birth, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension, quiet our wandering thoughts. We offer these decades in union with the Blessed Virgin Mary, contemplating the great mysteries of our redemption. Strengthen our belief in the communion of saints and the forgiveness of sins, so that through our recitation of these prayers, our lives may reflect the holy truths we confess today. Amen.
A One-Line Daily Prayer of Faith
Lord God, keep us steadfast in the apostolic faith, confessing Jesus Christ as our risen Savior and trusting in the promise of life everlasting. Amen.
Scripture to pray
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.— Romans 10:9 (KJV)
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.— Matthew 28:19 (KJV)
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.— Jude 1:3 (KJV)
Frequently asked questions
What are the words of the Apostles' Creed?
The traditional English text of the Apostles' Creed is: "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen."
Did the apostles write the Apostles' Creed?
A pious tradition holds that the twelve apostles each contributed one article to the creed. This account is a tradition and is not documented historical fact. The Apostles' Creed took shape over the early centuries of the Church as a summary of the core apostolic faith handed down from the beginning.
What does "he descended into hell" mean in the Apostles' Creed?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that "he descended into hell" refers to Christ's descent to the abode of the dead and does not refer to the hell of the damned. In paragraphs 632 to 635, the Catechism teaches that Jesus experienced real physical death and visited the righteous souls who had died before Him, announcing their redemption.
What does "the holy catholic Church" mean in the creed?
In the Apostles' Creed, the word "catholic" comes from a Greek term meaning universal or whole. Confessing belief in "the holy catholic Church" affirms the universal body of Christian believers throughout time and across the earth. Because the term refers to the universal Christian Church, many Protestant traditions also recite the creed using the lower-case word catholic.
When do Catholics pray the Apostles' Creed?
Catholics recite the Apostles' Creed as the opening prayer of the Rosary while holding the crucifix before beginning the decades. It also serves as the public profession of faith during the Church's baptismal rites for infants and adult catechumens. At Mass, the Apostles' Creed may be used in place of the Nicene Creed when permitted.
What is the difference between the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed?
The Apostles' Creed is the older and shorter of the two statements. The Nicene Creed is longer and was formally formulated at the Council of Nicaea in 325 and the Council of Constantinople in 381. While the Apostles' Creed opens the Rosary and marks baptismal rites, the Nicene Creed is the primary profession recited during Sunday Mass.
Do Protestants say the Apostles' Creed?
Yes, many Protestant denominations regularly recite the Apostles' Creed. Because the creed predates later historical divisions and summarizes basic biblical doctrines shared across Christendom, communities such as Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians profess it. They understand the phrase "holy catholic Church" in its original, universal sense.