Prayer and reading guides · English

The Creed, Line by Line

The Creed is the faith of the whole Church in a few lines. It was set down by the Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381), and St. Athanasius of Alexandria defended it all his life. The Coptic Church prays it in every hour of the Agpeya and in every Divine Liturgy, standing, as one family.

"We believe in one God"

Christians do not believe in three gods. There is one God, and He has made Himself known as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

"God the Father, the Pantocrator"

Pantocrator means "Ruler of all." He made heaven and earth, and everything seen and unseen, including the angels. Nothing exists that He did not make, and nothing is outside His care.

"One Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God"

The Son is "begotten of the Father before all ages." There was never a time when He was not. He is "Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created, of one essence with the Father." This is the line St. Athanasius stood for: the Son is not a creature, but God Himself.

"Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven"

Here the Creed tells the Gospel. God the Word "was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, and became man." He was crucified for us, suffered, was buried, rose on the third day, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of His Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom has no end.

Tip: Notice the words "for us." Every line about Christ is about what He did for you.

"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giver"

The Holy Spirit is God, worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son. He "spoke in the prophets," and He is the One who makes us holy.

"One, holy, catholic and apostolic Church"

One, because Christ has one Body. Holy, because He sanctifies her. Catholic, meaning universal and whole. Apostolic, because she keeps the faith of the apostles; the Coptic Church traces her line to St. Mark.

"One baptism for the remission of sins"

In baptism we die and rise with Christ, and our sins are washed away. It is given once, never repeated.

"We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the coming age"

The Creed ends with hope. Death is not the end. Our bodies will rise, and we will live with God forever.

Quick questions

Why do we start with "We magnify you, O Mother of the True Light"?

In the Coptic Church the Creed is introduced with a hymn to the Virgin Mary, because through her the Word became flesh, which is the heart of the Creed.

Should I learn it by heart?

Yes, if you can. It is short, and you will pray it every day in the Agpeya. Start with one paragraph a week.