The Apostles’ Creed is the oldest summary of the Christian faith still in daily use. Catholics pray it to begin the Rosary, profess it at every Baptism and may say it at Sunday Mass. Here is the traditional Catholic text:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator 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;
died, and was buried.
He descended into hell;
the third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the living 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.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that it is called the Apostles’ Creed because it is “a faithful summary of the apostles’ faith,” and that it is “the ancient baptismal symbol of the Church of Rome” (CCC 194). Below are the Latin text, the twelve articles one by one, where the Creed comes from, and how it compares with the Nicene Creed.
The Apostles’ Creed in the current Missal
The text above comes from the Baltimore Catechism and uses the traditional words “Holy Ghost,” “sitteth” and “from thence.” The English Roman Missal used at Mass today says “Holy Spirit” and uses modern verb forms, such as “is seated at the right hand.” The faith professed is identical. When you pray it with others at church, follow the card or Missal your parish uses.
The Apostles’ Creed in Latin (Symbolum Apostolorum)
Credo in Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, 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 die resurrexit a mortuis,
ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis,
inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos.
Credo in Spiritum Sanctum,
sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem,
remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam.
Amen.
The twelve articles of the Creed
From early times the Creed has been divided into twelve articles, and an old legend said that each of the twelve apostles contributed one. The legend is not history, but the division is a useful way to learn and pray the Creed.
| Article | Words | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth | There is one God, who made everything visible and invisible and who is our Father. |
| 2 | and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord | Jesus is the eternal Son of God and the Lord of our lives. |
| 3 | who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary | The Son became man in Mary’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit. |
| 4 | suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried | His death was a real event in history, under a named Roman governor. |
| 5 | he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead | He went down to the realm of the dead and rose bodily on Easter Sunday. |
| 6 | he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty | In his risen humanity Christ reigns with the Father. |
| 7 | from there he will come to judge the living and the dead | He will return in glory at the end of time. |
| 8 | I believe in the Holy Spirit | The third Person of the Trinity, the Lord and giver of life. |
| 9 | the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints | The Church founded by Christ, united with all the saints in heaven, in purgatory and on earth. |
| 10 | the forgiveness of sins | Given first in Baptism and then in the sacrament of Penance. |
| 11 | the resurrection of the body | Our own bodies will be raised on the last day. |
| 12 | and life everlasting | The life of heaven that never ends. |
The Catechism itself is organized around the Apostles’ Creed. It calls the Creed “the oldest Roman catechism” and follows it article by article in Part One (CCC 196).
What “he descended into hell” means
This line confuses many people. It does not mean that Jesus went to the hell of the damned. The Catechism explains that Scripture uses the word “hell” (Sheol in Hebrew, Hades in Greek) for the abode of all the dead, who were deprived of the vision of God while they awaited the Redeemer (CCC 633). Christ went down to them as Savior and opened heaven to the just who had died before him. That is why the Latin says ad inferos, “to those below.” Some modern English versions say “he descended to the dead.”
Where the Apostles’ Creed comes from
The Creed grew out of the questions asked at Baptism in the early Church of Rome: “Do you believe in God the Father almighty?”, “Do you believe in Christ Jesus, the Son of God?”, “Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?” A short Roman creed, often called the Old Roman Symbol, was in use by the fourth century, and its roots go back earlier. Several phrases were added over the following centuries, among them “Creator of heaven and earth,” “he descended into hell,” “the communion of saints” and “life everlasting.” The text reached the form we pray today in the early Middle Ages and spread throughout the Western Church.
The word symbol (Greek symbolon) originally meant a token broken in two, whose halves fit together to prove identity. A creed is the “sign” by which believers recognize one another.
Apostles’ Creed vs. Nicene Creed
Catholics use two main creeds. Both profess the same faith; they differ in length, origin and use. For the full text, Latin and history of the longer creed, see our guide to the Nicene Creed.
| Apostles’ Creed | Nicene Creed | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | The baptismal creed of the Church of Rome | The Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381) |
| Length | About 110 words | About 220 words |
| Emphasis | A short summary of the basic truths | Spells out that the Son is “consubstantial” with the Father and that the Holy Spirit is “the Lord, the giver of life” |
| Where it is used | Baptism, the Rosary, catechesis, and at Mass as an option | Sunday and solemnity Masses |
| Shared with | Western Christians (Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans and others) | Nearly all Christians, East and West |
The current Roman Missal allows the Apostles’ Creed to replace the Nicene Creed at Mass, especially during Lent and Easter Time, because those seasons are centered on Baptism. At the words “who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,” everyone bows.
How to pray the Apostles’ Creed
- To begin the Rosary. Hold the crucifix and pray the Creed, then continue with one Our Father and three Hail Marys. See the interactive Rosary.
- As an act of faith. The Baltimore Catechism teaches that praying the Creed is itself an act of faith. Say it slowly in the morning as a way of giving the day to God.
- When renewing your baptismal promises. At the Easter Vigil, at Baptisms and at Confirmation, the Church asks the same questions the Creed answers.
- With children. Learn one article a week, explaining each line with the table above.
Frequently asked questions
Did the apostles write the Apostles’ Creed?
Not word for word. It is called the Apostles’ Creed because it faithfully summarizes the faith the apostles preached, and because it is the creed of the Church of Rome, the see of St. Peter (CCC 194).
Why does the Creed say “catholic Church”?
Catholic means “universal.” The Church is catholic because Christ is present in her and because she is sent to the whole human race (CCC 830–831).
Can Catholics say the Apostles’ Creed at Mass?
Yes. The Roman Missal permits it in place of the Nicene Creed, and it is especially suited to Lent and Easter Time. Masses with children often use it too.
Is the Apostles’ Creed a prayer?
Yes. It is a profession of faith addressed to God, and the Church prays it in the liturgy, in the Rosary and in personal devotion.
More Catholic prayers
- The Athanasian Creed
- Acts of Faith, Hope and Love
- Catholic prayers: the basic prayers every Catholic should know
- The Nicene Creed
- The Our Father
- The Hail Mary
- The mysteries of the Rosary
- Holy days of obligation
Texts and sources
- English text: A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, No. 3 (Baltimore Catechism, ed. Kinkead, 1891), “The Apostles’ Creed,” public domain (Project Gutenberg). The table uses modern wording for readability.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 194–196 (the creeds), 631 and 632–635 (the descent to the dead), 830–831 (the Church is catholic).
- The Roman Missal, Order of Mass, rubric on the Apostles’ Creed.
- Herbert Thurston, “Apostles’ Creed,” Catholic Encyclopedia (1907).