The ancient baptismal creed of the Roman Church

The Apostles' Creed — Symbolum Apostolorum

The faith of Baptism in twelve articles; it opens the Rosary

LatinEnglish

Credo in Deum Patrem omnipoténtem,
Creatórem cæli et terræ.
Et in Iesum Christum, Fílium eius únicum, Dóminum nostrum,
qui concéptus est de Spíritu Sancto,
natus ex María Vírgine,
passus sub Póntio Piláto,
crucifíxus, mórtuus, et sepúltus,
descéndit ad ínferos,
tértia die resurréxit a mórtuis,
ascéndit ad cælos,
sedet ad déxteram Dei Patris omnipoténtis,
inde ventúrus est iudicáre vivos et mórtuos.
Credo in Spíritum Sanctum,
sanctam Ecclésiam cathólicam,
sanctórum communiónem,
remissiónem peccatórum,
carnis resurrectiónem,
vitam ætérnam.

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 Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell;
the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and 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 Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

Amen.

SourceThe ancient baptismal creed of the Roman Church · The faith of Baptism in twelve articles; it opens the Rosary

The history of this prayer

The Apostles' Creed is the summary of faith that the Church of Rome asked of those about to be baptized. Its core is the so-called Old Roman Symbol, known from the third and fourth centuries; the form we pray today appears complete in the eighth century, in the writings of Saint Pirmin. Around the year 400 Rufinus of Aquileia recorded the pious tradition that the Apostles composed it together, each contributing a part — hence the name; later one article was assigned to each Apostle, and the Roman Catechism divides it into twelve articles.

The Creed opens the Rosary, said on the crucifix, and is professed at Baptism. At Mass, the current Missal allows it in place of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, especially in Lent and Eastertide. The Enchiridion of Indulgences grants a partial indulgence to those who devoutly recite it.

“He descended into hell” translates “descendit ad inferos”: not the hell of the damned, but the realm of the dead where the just awaited the Redemption.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed?

The Apostles' Creed is the shorter, ancient baptismal creed of Rome. The Nicene Creed comes from the Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381) and states more fully the divinity of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Did the Apostles write the Apostles' Creed?

Not literally. It faithfully sums up the Apostles' preaching; the story that the Apostles composed it together is recorded by Rufinus around the year 400.

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