Nicene Creed

== Ancient liturgical versions ==
There are several designations for the two forms of the Nicene Creed, some with overlapping meanings:
* '''Nicene Creed''' or the '''Creed of Nicaea''' is used to refer to the original version adopted at the [[First Council of Nicaea]] (325), to the revised version adopted by the [[First Council of Constantinople]] (381), to the liturgical text used by the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] (with "I believe" instead of "We believe"),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.orthodoxprayer.org/Creed.html|title=Orthodox Prayer: The Nicene Creed|access-date=13 May 2018|archive-date=2 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202073831/https://orthodoxprayer.org/Creed.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> to the Latin version that includes the phrase {{lang|la|"Deum de Deo"}} and {{lang|la|"[[Filioque]]"}},<ref>This version is called the Nicene Creed in [http://www.scborromeo.org/prayers/nicenecreed.pdf Catholic Prayers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027083826/http://scborromeo.org/prayers/nicenecreed.pdf |date=27 October 2011 }}, [http://www.thecatholictreasurechest.com/creeds.htm Creeds of the Catholic Church] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104194242/http://www.thecatholictreasurechest.com/creeds.htm |date=4 November 2011 }}, [http://bne.catholic.net.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=11381 Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310092217/http://bne.catholic.net.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=11381 |date=10 March 2012 }}, etc.</ref> and to the [[Armenian language|Armenian]] version, which does not include "and from the Son", but does include "God from God" and many other phrases.<ref name=Arm>What the Armenian Church calls the Nicene Creed is given in the [http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/files/creed.pdf Armenian Church Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120824080722/http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/files/creed.pdf |date=24 August 2012 }}, [http://www.stleon.org/ St Leon Armenian Church] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016173007/http://www.stleon.org/ |date=16 October 2011 }}, [http://armeniandiaconate.org/styled-3/index.html Armenian Diaconate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119092740/http://armeniandiaconate.org/styled-3/index.html |date=19 January 2012 }}, etc.]</ref>
* '''Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed''' can stand for the revised version of Constantinople (381) or the later Latin version<ref>E.g.,{{Cite web |url=https://sites.google.com/site/litcomwenty/resources/resources--sunday-eucharist/roman-missal/apostles-creed |title=Roman Missal <nowiki>|</nowiki> Apostles' Creed |publisher=[[Our Lady of Mount Carmel]] |publication-place=[[Wentworthville]] |year=2011 |access-date=30 September 2016 |quote=Instead of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, especially during Lent and Easter Time, the baptismal Symbol of the Roman Church, known as the Apostles' Creed, may be used |archive-date=12 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012114310/https://sites.google.com/site/litcomwenty/resources/resources--sunday-eucharist/roman-missal/apostles-creed |url-status=dead }}</ref> or various other versions.<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/encyc03/htm/ii.10.ii.htm Philip Schaff, The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. III: article ''Constantinopolitan Creed''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224171155/https://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/encyc03/htm/ii.10.ii.htm |date=24 February 2020 }} lists eight creed-forms calling themselves Niceno-Constantinopolitan or Nicene.</ref>
* '''Icon/Symbol of the Faith''' is the usual designation for the revised version of Constantinople 381 in the Orthodox churches, where this is the only creed used in the liturgy.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
* '''Profession of Faith of the 318 Fathers''' refers specifically to the version of Nicaea 325 (traditionally, 318 bishops took part at the First Council of Nicaea).{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
* '''Profession of Faith of the 150 Fathers''' refers specifically to the version of Constantinople 381 (traditionally, 150 bishops took part at the First Council of Constantinople).{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

This section is not meant to collect the texts of all liturgical versions of the Nicene Creed, and provides only three, the Greek, the Latin, and the Armenian, of special interest. Others are mentioned separately, but without the texts. All ancient liturgical versions, even the Greek, differ at least to some small extent from the text adopted by the First Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople. The Creed was originally written in [[Greek language|Greek]], owing among other things to the location of the two councils.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

Although the councils' texts have {{lang|grc|"Πιστεύομεν{{nbsp}}[...] ὁμολογοῦμεν{{nbsp}}[...] προσδοκοῦμεν"}} ("{{em|we}} believe{{nbsp}}[...] confess{{nbsp}}[...] await"), the creed that the Churches of Byzantine tradition use in their liturgy has {{lang|grc|"Πιστεύω{{nbsp}}[...] ὁμολογῶ{{nbsp}}[...] προσδοκῶ"}} ("{{em|I}} believe{{nbsp}}[...] confess{{nbsp}}[...] await"), accentuating the personal nature of recitation of the creed. The Latin text, as well as using the singular, has two additions: {{lang|la|"Deum de Deo"}} (God from God) and {{lang|la|"Filioque"}} (and from the Son). The Armenian text has many more additions, and is included as showing how [[Armenian Apostolic Church|that ancient church]] has chosen to recite the creed with these numerous elaborations of its contents.<ref name=Arm/>

An English translation of the Armenian text is added; English translations of the Greek and Latin liturgical texts are given at [[English versions of the Nicene Creed in current use]].{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

=== Greek liturgical text ===
{{poemquote|{{lang|grc|Πιστεύω εἰς ἕνα Θεόν, Πατέρα, Παντοκράτορα, ποιητὴν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, ὁρατῶν τε πάντων καὶ ἀοράτων.
Καὶ εἰς ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ, τὸν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθέντα πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων·
φῶς ἐκ φωτός, Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ, γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο.
Τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ σαρκωθέντα
ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα.
Σταυρωθέντα τε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου, καὶ παθόντα καὶ ταφέντα.
Καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς.
Καὶ ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς καὶ καθεζόμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρός.
Καὶ πάλιν ἐρχόμενον μετὰ δόξης κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, οὗ τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἔσται τέλος.
Καὶ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, τὸ κύριον, τὸ ζῳοποιόν,
τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον,
τὸ σὺν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ συμπροσκυνούμενον καὶ συνδοξαζόμενον,
τὸ λαλῆσαν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν.
Εἰς μίαν, Ἁγίαν, Καθολικὴν καὶ Ἀποστολικὴν Ἐκκλησίαν.
Ὁμολογῶ ἓν βάπτισμα εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν.
Προσδοκῶ ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν.
Καὶ ζωὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος.
Ἀμήν.}}<ref>[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/ordination-bishop-gr.asp Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America: Liturgical Texts]. ''[[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]''. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509041038/http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/ordination-bishop-gr.asp |date=9 May 2007 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/greek/chrysostom_liturgy7.htm Η ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070104024712/http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/greek/chrysostom_liturgy7.htm |date=4 January 2007 }}. ''[[Church of Greece]]''.</ref>}}

=== Latin liturgical version ===
{{poemquote|{{lang|la|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.}}<ref name="missaleromanum">{{cite book | title=Missale Romanum | publisher=Administratio Patrimonii Sedis Apostolicae | year=2002 | location=Vatican City}}</ref>}}

The Latin text adds {{lang|la|"Deum de Deo"}} and {{lang|la|"Filioque"}} to the Greek. On the latter see [[#Filioque controversy|The Filioque Controversy]] above. Inevitably also, the overtones of the terms used, such as a {{lang-grc|παντοκράτορα|pantokratora|label=none}} and {{lang|la|omnipotentem}}, differ ({{transliteration|grc|[[Pantocrator|pantokratora]]}} meaning ruler of all; {{lang|la|omnipotentem}} meaning omnipotent, almighty). The implications of the difference in overtones of {{lang|grc|"ἐκπορευόμενον"}} and {{lang|la|"qui{{nbsp}}[...] procedit"}} was the object of the study ''The Greek and the Latin Traditions regarding the Procession of the Holy Spirit'' published by the [[Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity]] in 1996.<ref>{{cite journal | author=Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity | title=The Greek and Latin Traditions Regarding the Procession of the Holy Spirit | journal=L'Osservatore Romano English Edition | date=20 September 1995 | url=http://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en/documenti/altri-testi/en1.html}}, p. 9</ref>

Again, the terms {{lang|grc|ὁμοούσιον}} and {{lang|la|consubstantialem}}, translated as "of one being" or "[[consubstantial]]", have different overtones, being based respectively on Greek {{lang|grc|οὐσία}} (stable being, immutable reality, substance, essence, true nature),<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2376030 | title=οὐσί-α | access-date=7 November 2006 | archive-date=18 August 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818024009/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2376030 | url-status=live }}</ref> and Latin {{lang|la|substantia}} (that of which a thing consists, the being, essence, contents, material, substance).<ref name="A Latin Dictionary: substantia">Charlton T. Lewis, [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3D%2346080 ''A Latin Dictionary: substantia''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102231150/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3D%2346080 |date=2 January 2008 }}</ref>

{{lang|la|"Credo"}}, which in classical Latin is used with the accusative case of the thing held to be true (and with the dative of the person to whom credence is given),<ref name="A Latin Dictionary: credo">Charlton T. Lewis, [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3Dcredo ''A Latin Dictionary: credo''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724113306/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3Dcredo |date=24 July 2016 }}</ref> is here used three times with the preposition "in", a literal translation of the Greek {{lang|grc|εἰς}} ({{lang|la|in unum Deum{{nbsp}}[...], in unum Dominum{{nbsp}}[...], in Spiritum Sanctum{{nbsp}}[...]}}), and once in the classical preposition-less construction ({{lang|la|unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam}}).{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

=== Armenian liturgical text ===
[[File:Creed icon (Russia, 17 c.).jpeg|thumb|upright=1.5|17th-century Russian icon illustrating the articles of the creed]]
{{poemquote|{{lang|hy|Հաւատամք ի մի Աստուած, ի Հայրն ամենակալ, յարարիչն երկնի եւ երկրի, երեւելեաց եւ աներեւութից։
Եւ ի մի Տէր Յիսուս Քրիստոս, յՈրդին Աստուծոյ, ծնեալն յԱստուծոյ Հօրէ, միածին՝ այսինքն յէութենէ Հօր։
Աստուած յԱստուծոյ, լոյս ի լուսոյ, Աստուած ճշմարիտ յԱստուծոյ ճշմարտէ, ծնունդ եւ ոչ արարած։ Նոյն ինքն ի բնութենէ Հօր, որով ամենայն ինչ եղեւ յերկինս եւ ի վերայ երկրի, երեւելիք եւ աներեւոյթք։
Որ յաղագս մեր մարդկան եւ վասն մերոյ փրկութեան իջեալ ի յերկնից՝ մարմնացաւ, մարդացաւ, ծնաւ կատարելապէս ի Մարիամայ սրբոյ կուսէն Հոգւովն Սրբով։
Որով էառ զմարմին, զհոգի եւ զմիտ, եւ զամենայն որ ինչ է ի մարդ, ճշմարտապէս եւ ոչ կարծեօք։
Չարչարեալ, խաչեալ, թաղեալ, յերրորդ աւուր յարուցեալ, ելեալ ի յերկինս նովին մարմնովն, նստաւ ընդ աջմէ Հօր։
Գալոց է նովին մարմնովն եւ փառօք Հօր ի դատել զկենդանիս եւ զմեռեալս, որոյ թագաւորութեանն ոչ գոյ վախճան։
Հաւատամք եւ ի սուրբ Հոգին, յանեղն եւ ի կատարեալն․ Որ խօսեցաւ յօրէնս եւ ի մարգարէս եւ յաւետարանս․ Որ էջն ի Յորդանան, քարոզեաց զառաքեալսն, եւ բնակեցաւ ի սուրբսն։
Հաւատամք եւ ի մի միայն, ընդհանրական եւ առաքելական, Սուրբ Եկեղեցի․ ի մի մկրտութիւն, յապաշխարհութիւն, ի քաւութիւն եւ ի թողութիւն մեղաց․ ի յարութիւնն մեռելոց․ ի դատաստանն յաւիտենից հոգւոց եւ մարմնոց․ յարքայութիւնն երկնից, եւ ի կեանսն յաւիտենականս։}}}}

==== English translation of the Armenian version ====
{{poemquote|We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, of things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the begotten of God the Father, the Only-begotten, that is of the substance of the Father.
God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten and not made; of the very same nature of the Father, by Whom all things came into being, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.
Who for us humanity and for our salvation came down from heaven, was incarnate, became human, was born perfectly of the holy virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit.
By whom He took body, soul, and mind, and everything that is in man, truly and not in semblance.
He suffered, was crucified, was buried, rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven with the same body, [and] sat at the right hand of the Father.
He is to come with the same body and with the glory of the Father, to judge the living and the dead; of His kingdom there is no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the uncreate and the perfect; Who spoke through the Law, the prophets, and the Gospels; Who came down upon the Jordan, preached through the apostles, and lived in the saints.
We believe also in only One, Universal, Apostolic, and [Holy] Church; in one baptism with repentance for the remission and forgiveness of sins; and in the resurrection of the dead, in the everlasting judgement of souls and bodies, in the Kingdom of Heaven and in the everlasting life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/files/creed.pdf|title=Text in Armenian, with transliteration and English translation|website=Armenianlibrary.com|access-date=30 September 2010|archive-date=24 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120824080722/http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/files/creed.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

=== Other ancient liturgical versions ===
The version in the [[Church Slavonic language]], used by several Eastern Orthodox churches is practically identical with the Greek liturgical version.

This version is used also by some [[Byzantine Rite]] [[Eastern Catholic Churches]]. Although the [[Union of Brest]] excluded addition of the [[Filioque]], this was sometimes added by [[Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church|Ruthenian Catholics]],<ref>{{Catholic |inline=1 |prescript= |first=Andrew |last=Shipman |wstitle=Ruthenian Rite |volume=13}}</ref> whose older liturgical books also show the phrase in brackets, and by [[Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church|Ukrainian Catholics]]. Writing in 1971, the Ruthenian scholar Casimir Kucharek noted, "In Eastern Catholic Churches, the {{lang|la|Filioque}} may be omitted except when scandal would ensue. Most of the Eastern Catholic Rites use it."<ref name="Kucharek">{{Cite book |last=Kucharek |first=Casimir |year=1971 |publication-date=1971 |title=The Byzantine-Slav Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom: Its Origin and Evolution |pages=547 |place=[[Combermere, Ontario]], Canada |publisher=Alleluia Press. |isbn=0-911726-06-3 }}</ref> However, in the decades that followed 1971 it has come to be used more rarely.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://compassreview.org/autumn05/6.html |title=The Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in Australia and the Filioque: A Return to Eastern Christian Tradition |publisher=Compass |last=Babie |first=Paul |access-date=26 June 2013 |archive-date=14 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114220526/http://compassreview.org/autumn05/6.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archeparchy.ca/documents/Pastoral%20Letter%20on%20the%20Creed.pdf|title=Pastoral Letter of the Ukrainian Catholic Hierarchy in Canada, 1 September 2005|website=Archeparchy.ca|access-date=30 July 2013|archive-date=24 September 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060924104610/http://www.archeparchy.ca/documents/Pastoral|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://stsophia.us/Eng/renewal.htm|title=Mark M. Morozowich, "Pope John Paul II and Ukrainian Catholic Liturgical Life: Renewal of Eastern Identity"|website=Stsophia.us|access-date=30 July 2013|archive-date=13 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213164052/http://stsophia.us/Eng/renewal.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The versions used by [[Oriental Orthodoxy]] and the [[Church of the East]]<ref>[http://assyrianchurch.org.au/about-us/faith/creed-of-nicaea Creed of Nicaea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220111138/http://assyrianchurch.org.au/about-us/faith/creed-of-nicaea |date=20 February 2011 }} ([[Assyrian Church of the East]])</ref> may differ from the Greek liturgical version in having "We believe", as in the original text, instead of "I believe".<ref>*[http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/files/creed.pdf Nicene Creed] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120824080722/http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/files/creed.pdf |date=24 August 2012 }} ([[Armenian Apostolic Church]])
* [http://www.saintmaryhouston.org/index.php?q=content/about-us The Coptic Orthodox Church: Our Creed] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819160810/http://www.saintmaryhouston.org/index.php?q=content%2Fabout-us |date=19 August 2012 }} ([[Coptic Orthodox Church]])
* [http://www.ninesaintsethiopianorthodoxmonastery.org/id18.html Nicene Creed] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126005944/http://www.ninesaintsethiopianorthodoxmonastery.org/id18.html |date=26 January 2011 }} ([[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]])
* [http://www.stmarysnova.org/documents/church-mission The Nicene Creed] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623001926/http://www.stmarysnova.org/documents/church-mission |date=23 June 2012 }} ([[Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]])
* [http://sor.cua.edu/Liturgy/Common/NiceneCreed.html The Nicene Creed] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507074543/http://sor.cua.edu/Liturgy/Common/NiceneCreed.html |date=7 May 2012 }} ([[Syriac Orthodox Church]])</ref>