Symbol of Nicée

The Symbole of Nicée is a Profession of faith common to the three great Christian confessions, the Catholicisme, the orthodoxy and the Protestantisme. It is one of the usual forms of the Creed.

History

It was elaborate during the I {{er}} council of Nicée, in 325, joined together by the emperor Constantin I {{er}}. This one had joined together the Roman Empire after having overcome Licinius with Andrinople, in September 324. Going in the East, it notes at once the very great number of the dissensions within Christianity. In order to restore religious peace and to build the unit of the Church, it decides to convene all the bishops in order to decide on a law ( doxa , i.e. a Dogme) common to the Christians. This Concile which brings together representatives of almost all the tendencies of Christianity succeeds in setting up in a quasi-unanimous way a common base of belief, expressed in little of words: it is the Credo ( I believe in Latin).

The Arianisme is also condemned at the end of the council, Arius refusing to join the other bishops. It specifies the catholic faith concerning the divinity of Jesus-Christ. It is supplemented in 381 by the Ier council of Constantinople, from where the name frequently given of “Symbol of Nicée-Constantinople”.

The original text is thus Greek. In Occident (see below the Latin text), one added the word Filioque with the procession of the Holy Spirit (“it proceeds of the Father and the Son”). It is the official reason of the schism of 1054 between Rome and Constantinople, the orthodoxe refusing this addition.

French text

Here two of the current French versions of the Symbol of Nicée (they are formal alternatives, according to the Churches, such as for example the employment of “I” instead of “us”, etc):

We believe in only one God, the Father the Almighty, creator of the sky and the ground, all the visible and invisible things.

We believe in an only one Lord, Jesus-Christ, the Only son of God, born from the Father before every century, God come from God, light resulting from the light, true God resulting from true God, generated and not created, of the same substance as the Father and by whom all was made; who for us the men and our safety, is descended from the skies and was incarnated by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary and was done man. He was crucifié for us under Pounce-Pilate, he suffered and he was put at the tomb; he is ressuscity of died the third day, in accordance with the Writings; he is assembled to the skies where he sits at the right-hand side of the Father. From there, it will return in glory to judge the alive ones and deaths, and its reign will not have end.

Us believe in Holy Ghost, which reigns and which gives the life, which proceeds of the Father, who spoke by the Prophets, which with the Father and the Son is adored and glorifié; we believe only one Church, holy, catholic and apostolic. We confess only one baptism for the remission of the sins; we await the resurrection of dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

In the Catholic liturgy , the official translation is:

I believe in an only one God, the Father the Almighty, creator of the sky and the ground, the visible and invisible universe.

I believe in an only one Lord, Jesus-Christ, the Only son of God, born from the Father before every century; he is God, born from God, light, born from the light, true God, born from true God. Generated, not created, of comparable nature that the Father, and by him all was made. For us the men, and our safety, it went down from the sky; by the Holy Ghost, it took flesh of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. Crucifié for us under Pontius Pilate, it suffered his passion and was put at the tomb. It ressuscita the third day, in accordance with the writings, and he went up to the sky; he sat with the right-hand side of the Father. He will return in glory, to judge the alive ones and deaths; and its reign will not have end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, which is Seigneur and who gives the life; it proceeds of the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, it receives even worship and even glory; he spoke by the prophets. I believe in the Church, one, holy, catholic and apostolic. I recognize only one baptism for the forgiveness of the sins. I await the resurrection of deaths, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Latin text

Creed in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem caeli and terrae, visibilium omnium and invisibilium.

And in unum Dominum Iesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, and ex Patre natum handle omnia saecula. Deum de Deo, Lumen of Lumine, Deum verum of Deo vero, genitum, not factum, consubstantialem Patri; per quem omnia facta sunt. Who propter our homines, and propter nostram salutem went down from caelis. And incarnatus is of Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, and homo factus is. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus, and sepultus are. And resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas, and ascendit in caelum, sedet AD dexteram Patris. And iterum venturus is cum gloria, iudicare vivos and mortuos, cuius regni not erit finished.

And in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum and vivificantem, which ex Patre Filioque procedit. Who cum Shepherd and Filio simul adoratur and conglorificatur: who locutus is per prophetas. And unam, sanctam, catholicam and apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. And expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, and vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.

See too

Internal bonds

External bond

File MP3 of Creed III, the most sung version Creed in Gregorian chant

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