Orthodox Creed with translation and interpretation. Creed in Church Slavonic and Russian
The Creed Prayer is a brief and precise statement of the fundamentals of Christian doctrine, compiled and approved at the 1st and 2nd Ecumenical Councils.
What is the Creed Prayer?
The entire Creed consists of twelve members, and each of them contains a special truth, or, as they also call it, the dogma of our Orthodox faith.
The 1st member speaks about God the Father, the 2nd to 7th members talk about God the Son, the 8th - about God the Holy Spirit, the 9th - about the Church, the 10th - about baptism, the 11th and 12th th - about the resurrection of the dead and eternal life.
Text of the prayer “Creed”
In Church Slavonic |
In Russian |
1. I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. | I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of everything visible and invisible. |
2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. | And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, one being with the Father, by Him all things were created. |
3. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. | For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, He came down from heaven, and took flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. |
4. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. | He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. |
5. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. | And rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. |
6. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. | And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. |
7. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. | And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; His Kingdom will have no end. |
8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. | And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets. |
9. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. | Into one holy, catholic and apostolic Church. |
10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. | I recognize one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. |
11. I hope for the resurrection of the dead, | I'm waiting for the resurrection of the dead |
12. and the life of the next century. Amen. | and the life of the next century. Amen (truly so). |
Icon “Symbol of Faith”
How the “Creed” is sung at the Liturgy
Valaam choir
Interpretation of the prayer “Creed”
Archpriest Alexander Shmeman
Explanation of the Creed
Protopresbyter A. Schmemann
1. Introduction
In the life of the Christian Church, the so-called Symbol of faith: A relatively short confession of what the Church believes. The word “symbol” in its original meaning can be translated as follows: something that “holds together, connects, contains.” So, the Creed is precisely contains all these truths that the Church believes are necessary for man, for the fullness of his life and for salvation from sin and spiritual death.
Historically, the Creed arose from the preparation of converts, that is, new believers preparing to enter the Church, for the sacrament of baptism. In ancient times, it was mainly adults who were baptized. As in our days, people came to faith, accepted Christ, wanted to join the Church, become members of the church community - each as a result of their own special path. For every conversion, every meeting of a person with God is a mystery of God’s grace, which we are not given the opportunity to penetrate. Some come to God in suffering and grief, others in joy and happiness. So it was, so it will always be.
The origin of faith in the human soul is a mystery. And yet, faith in Christ itself leads a person to the Church, to the community of those who believe in Christ. Faith itself seeks and demands the unity of believers, who, precisely by this unity and love for each other, testify to the world that they are disciples and followers of Christ. “Therefore everyone will know that you are My disciples,” said Christ, “if you have love for one another.” Love and unity of faith, about which St. Paul says that it constitutes the main joy of Christians: “I greatly desire to see you,” he writes to the Christian Church in Rome, “so that I may be comforted by the common faith with you, yours and mine...”
The Christian life of a new believer thus began with the fact that he was brought to the bishop of the local Church, and he drew a cross with his hand on the forehead of the new Christian, as if putting the mark of Christ on him. A man came to God and believed in Christ. Now, however, he must learn the content of faith. He becomes student it begins, as they say in church books, announce. For Christianity is not an emotion, not just a feeling, no, it is an encounter with the Truth, it is a difficult feat of accepting it with the whole being. Just as a person who passionately loves music, in order to perform it, must go through difficult training, so one who has believed in Christ, who has fallen in love with Christ, must now realize the content of his faith and what it obliges him to do.
On the eve of Easter - for in the early Church baptism was performed on Easter night - everyone preparing for baptism solemnly read the Creed, made a “giving” of it, confessed its acceptance and their entry into the unity of faith and love. Each large local Church - Roman, Alexandrian, Antioch - had its own baptismal creed, and although they were all everywhere an expression of a single and indivisible faith, they differed in style and phraseology from each other. At the beginning of the 4th century, great disputes arose in the Church concerning the basic Christian doctrine of Christ as God. In 325, the first Ecumenical Council met in the city of Nicaea, and at it a common Creed, common to all Christians, was developed. Several decades later, at the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople, the Creed was supplemented and received the name Nicene-Constantinople, common to the entire universal Church. Finally, the third Ecumenical Council, in Ephesus in 431, decided that this symbol should remain forever inviolable so that, in other words, no more additions would be made to it.
“The Creed” is a special work that sets out the fundamentals of Christian doctrine and describes the life path of Jesus, our Lord. It is believed that if a person does not know this prayer by heart and does not accept its dogmas, then he has no right to be called Orthodox. The “Creed” consists of 12 parts written in Church Slavonic.
Who came up with the text?
The “Creed” prayer was created at the Ecumenical Councils - special meetings of the highest clergy (bishops). The first time such a meeting was organized back in 325 (in the 4th century AD) to refute the false teachings of Arius, who considered Jesus Christ only the highest creation of the Lord. At this Council, such a heresy was rejected, and the truth formed the basis of the second dogma of the “Creed,” which states that the Son of God was born of the Most High.
The next Ecumenical Council, organized in Constantinople, dates back to 381. The congress of all bishops proclaimed the unity of the Holy Trinity. Some time ago, an Aryan clergyman expressed his opinion that the Holy Spirit is the creation of the Father and the Son, and he serves them like angels. This point of view was rejected, since Christianity is a monotheistic religion. In other words, the Almighty is one in Three Persons, and Orthodox Christians must equally honor God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The essence of the 1st dogma
The first member of the “Creed” states that the Orthodox believe in the One God Almighty and Creator, who is visible and invisible at the same time. This dogma is interpreted as follows: to believe in the Lord means to be firmly confident in his eternal existence, to accept divine revelation and to profess Orthodoxy, that is, to express one’s unshakable faith in Christ. All saints, especially those canonized as great martyrs, are examples of spiritual fortitude and determination for the sake of being close to the Lord. The words “visible and invisible” mean that the Kingdom of Heaven is a spiritual world that cannot be seen with the eyes. Its manifestations can only be seen with the heart.
The Mystery of the Holy Trinity
The interpretation of the Creed is clear and unambiguous. But since the prayer in question uses concepts that are incomprehensible to the human mind, believers have problems interpreting it. For example, the mystery of the Holy Trinity, which is spoken of in the 2nd article of the Creed, still remains a mystery to everyone. She is God the Father, God the Son, who is born of the Father, and the Holy Spirit, who also comes from the Father. The Trinity is unity and the Lord. Theologians often compare Her to the sun, from which light is born and warmth emanates. The essence of the Trinity can also be explained using the example of water, which has a liquid, gaseous and solid state.
The "Creed" also contains lines that the Son of God was begotten, and not created, from the Father, "before all ages." In other words, Jesus Christ, just like the Lord himself, always was, is and will be, i.e. the Holy Trinity is outside of time and space. The words “begotten of the Father” were included in the Creed in order to refute the doctrine of Arius. It stated that Jesus Christ is the creation of God, and this violates the concept of the consubstantiality of the Holy Trinity.
Divine Salvation
The Creed prayer also tells about the earthly life of the Messiah. The incarnation of the Lord in human form is necessary for the salvation of human souls. The coming of Jesus Christ to Earth has been known since Old Testament times. This knowledge was transmitted through the prophets Isaiah, Micah, and Malachi. Why was the salvation of people possible only after the coming of Jesus Christ?
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve committed iniquity by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge. By violating God's Covenant, they doomed the entire human race to eternal destruction. Having descended to Earth, people became mortal. Everyone, without exception, even the righteous, after their death fell into the kingdom of the devil, since sin became an integral property of man, completely violating his nature. Like a gene, it was passed on from generation to generation, dooming people after death to eternal torment. The Lord, having descended to Earth, wished to cleanse human sins and open the gates of heaven. On the third day after his earthly death, the Son of God descended into hell and took the souls of the righteous. After this, people received the opportunity to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus Christ taught people to live according to the Law of God so that after death they could fully inherit heaven.
The Fourth Tenet of Prayer
This part of the Creed says that Jesus Christ was crucified for human sins under Pontius Pilate. This event is historically attested: when the Son of God died an earthly death, the sun darkened, and there was pitch darkness throughout the entire Earth. All the time, from the betrayal of Judas until his last breath, Christ suffered in the same way as other people crucified next to him on the crosses. That is why the “Creed” clearly states that “she suffered and was buried.”
The fact that the Lord truly became incarnate on Earth as a man is also evidenced by two more miracles. The first is the Shroud of Turin, in which Joseph wrapped the body of Jesus after taking him down from the cross. The existence of this painting is mentioned in the Gospel. It is believed that the shroud contains blood prints of the body of Christ, and this makes it a priceless relic and irrefutable proof of the existence of the Lord. There is an assumption that a clear image of the Son of God appeared on the cloth during His Resurrection, when God the Father illuminated Him with His light.
The Holy Fire is another phenomenon that no scientist can explain. On the Saturday before Easter, God's spark descends into the edicule of the Jerusalem Temple, turning into a flame that heals with its power. In the first minutes of its appearance, the Holy Fire does not leave burns on the body. Christians all over the world await this event with trepidation. It is believed that if the Holy Fire did not descend to Earth on Holy Saturday, it means that the Lord was very angry with the human race, and there is not a single righteous person left among us. In this case, we should expect an imminent Last Judgment.
Victory over death
The fifth part of the prayer says that the Lord rose on the third day, according to Scripture. Jesus Christ died at approximately 3 o'clock in the afternoon, on Friday, and rose again at midnight on the day after Saturday, since then called the resurrection. In ancient times, half a day was already perceived as a day, so it is believed that Christ spent 3 days in the tomb. The first to know about the resurrection of the Lord were the Virgin Mary and the Myrrh-Bearing Women, who were not afraid to come to the tomb.
Ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven
The sixth part of the Creed tells how Christ returned to His father. From that moment to this day, Jesus sits at the “right hand” (i.e., at the right hand of the Most High), reuniting the Divine and the human.
The Lord will come to Earth again, but not as a poor man suffering from human cruelty, but as a true King of Glory, ready to judge “the living and the dead,” which we can read about in the 6th dogma of the “Creed.” In other words, righteous judgment will be carried out on all people. Each will have signs with inscriptions of unrepentant sins. Those who have lived in righteousness will literally glow from within, like stars. Such people will also be inscribed with words that mean not sins, but merits before the Lord, for example, “poor in spirit” (relying on the will of God), “confessor” and others.
Speaking through the prophets
Particular importance in the eighth part of the Creed is given to the existence of the Holy Spirit emanating from God the Father. He is the third person of the Consubstantial Trinity, therefore we must glorify Him along with the Most High and Jesus Christ.
While still in the guise of a man, the Messiah said that no one would be forgiven for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit - a cruel and conscious rejection of the immutable truth of His eternal existence. Such resistance leads people away from the desire to repent.
The Old Testament prophets were always conductors of the Holy Spirit, that is, it was not they who spoke about future events, but the Lord. Also, the Holy Spirit appeared to people in the form of a dove (for example, at the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist) or as tongues of fire that descended on the apostles on the day of Pentecost.
The tenth part of the prayer says that the Orthodox believe in the holy catholic church. In this case, we mean the totality of all Orthodox Christians, dead and living, who profess one Christian religion.
Sacraments
In Orthodoxy there are seven main rites, sacred actions through which a person receives Divine grace. These include baptism, confession, communion, priesthood, unction, unction, and marriage. The main one among them is the rite of acceptance of the faith of Christ, since without it it is impossible to perform other sacraments. That is why baptism, as a symbol of other sacred actions, is mentioned in the eleventh article of the Creed.
Endless happiness
The fact that all the righteous, including the dead, will find the Kingdom of Heaven is said in the 11th and 12th parts of the prayer. The Apostle Paul argued that this life would be so joyful and blessed that no man could imagine it. But those who did not accept God’s truth and did not confess their sins will not be able to enter heaven, since they rejected it. These people, according to the Holy Scriptures, will be subjected to unbearable torment from the realization that they have lost the opportunity to be close to the Lord. The Orthodox Creed ends with the word “Amen,” which means “So be it.” By this we confirm that all the prayer we uttered is the immutable truth.
How to learn
The symbol of faith is the baptismal prayer, which is said by the godmother and father. In addition, before the sacrament, it is advisable for them to confess and receive communion. After all, godparents are a spiritual father or mother who guide their child on the true path. They must also teach the child the basics of Orthodoxy and administer communion periodically. Therefore, it is necessary to know the “Creed” prayer for the godmother and godfather.
Many people find it difficult to learn this work by heart. To begin with, you can simply read the “Creed” every day with the emphasis that is placed in each prayer book. Godparents must keep in mind that they take responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of the child, so they cannot limit themselves to just studying this work. The “Creed” prayer for a godfather or godmother can become a starting point into the world of Orthodoxy. It is also advisable for spiritual fathers and mothers to visit an Orthodox church and light candles for the health of their child. It is very good if godparents have images of Christ and Saints at home. Before them, you need to pray for your godson, asking for help from the Lord. Moreover, a special prayer is said, in which God’s help and guidance are asked.
Knowledge of such a prayer as the “Creed” is simply necessary for baptism. It is advisable that the future spiritual father and mother try to understand the meaning of this work, because they have a huge responsibility - to raise a true Christian. “Creed” - prayer for baptism and more. Be sure to read it before any good undertaking.
The Creed is one of the most important Orthodox prayers; its text reveals the meaning of what an Orthodox Christian must believe. You can download it and listen to it on our website.
It is recommended to read the Creed once a day, immediately after waking up. This prayer symbolizes sincere faith in the Lord God, that the day will come when the entire human race will be saved. The words of this prayer convey information that everything on our earth was created by God, the existence of all living things is impossible without his participation. The text of the prayer contains 12 parts; in order to understand the meaning as a whole, it is necessary to read the text in parts, each of which contains the foundations of the Christian faith.
The prayer “I Believe in One God” is presented both in Church Slavonic and Russian. You can download two versions of the prayer with emphasis on our website; we also offer to listen to the Creed online.
Let's look at each part of the Creed prayer; we recommend downloading it first..
- With the words “I believe in one God...” there is a statement that it was God who created heaven and earth, all living beings. It is this text that confirms our faith not only in words, but also in actions. Here we are also talking about the Holy Trinity: the Lord God acts as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. But what is meant by faith? This concept is general; it combines confidence in the existence of both the visible (real world) and the invisible (spiritual) world.
It will be easier to convey this concept to your child if you download the prayer and then read it along with the explanations. God is a Spirit who is invisible to man, but he is everywhere, both in heaven and on earth. The name of the Almighty is also used here, what does it mean? The concept of the Father Almighty is used in the sense that the world exists precisely thanks to his gracious power that supports the Universe.
- The second part says that Jesus Christ is the only God for all Christians, aka the Only Begotten Son of God the Father, who was born before the start of the time countdown. Jesus Christ is begotten and not a creation of God the Father. There is an explanation that he is of the same kind with him, is the likeness of the Father. The existence of everything around (heaven, earth) is the creation of Jesus Christ and God the Father. All this means that the creation of the world occurred thanks to the act of one God, namely the Holy Trinity.
- This prayer text calls God savior of the human race. His appearance on earth occurred from the incarnation of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, further humanization. Thus, having acquired human form, he became a perfect man and at the same time God, that is, the God-man. The Virgin Mary is the Mother of God, who is revered by the Orthodox Church above all saints and angels, since she is the Mother of the Lord God.
- Every Orthodox Christian believes that crucifixion of jesus christ on the cross is, first of all, payment for human sins, which was presented for the salvation of all people on earth. Although Jesus was sinless, he experienced all human suffering, died, and then was buried. Going through the most terrible torments, he suffered for the sins of the human race, but not for His sins.
If you download the text in Church Slavonic, this part sounds a little different than in Russian, but the essence of what is said is the same. You can download two versions, and then listen and compare them.
- "And rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures"- belief in the resurrection of Jesus three days after death. Jesus Christ is the True God for Christians, which is why his resurrection occurred. The words “according to Scripture” speak of the predictions of the prophets about the suffering, death, as well as the burial of our Savior, and his further resurrection. Christ rose again on that day of the week, which is now called Sunday.
- The following text of the prayer reads: about the ascension of the Lord in flesh and soul, but the Divinity always remains near His Father. Thanks to the ascension, the union of the earthly with the heavenly took place, as well as the glorification of all human nature. By his resurrection, Jesus indicated to believers that the Kingdom of God is open to every Orthodox Christian.
- 7. This part of the Creed prayer may be incomprehensible to a child, so a detailed interpretation is necessary. Every Christian believes that Jesus will come down to our earth again to carry out judgment on people, both living and dead, who will be resurrected. After the Last Judgment has passed, there will be the Kingdom of Christ, which is endless in time. The judgment is called terrible due to the fact that the conscience of each person will be revealed to everyone, including thoughts and desires unknown to anyone. The righteous will gain eternal life, and sinners will suffer forever for their evil deeds, which they did not repent of and did not correct with good deeds.
It is necessary to listen to this part of the Creed prayer very carefully, since you may not immediately grasp the whole essence. It is best to download the text and listen several times.
- This part of the Creed says: about faith in the Holy Trinity, namely the Holy Spirit, who is the same true God, the incarnation of the Son, as well as the Father. The Holy Spirit in the person of God the Son and God the Father provides life to everyone, especially for spiritual people. He takes the same part in the creation of the world as the Father and the Son. Accordingly, it is necessary to glorify him in the same way.
- It says here about the Church of Christ founded by Jesus Christ to illuminate sinners and reunite with God. There is an explanation of the concept of the Church - the totality of Orthodox believers in the faces of the living and the dead, who are connected with each other by true love, faith, and the most holy Sacraments. Every Orthodox Christian is part of the Church.
To fully understand what faith in the Church means, you can download and listen to the interpretation of metropolitans or priests who will explain the hidden meaning of this part of the prayer.
- The Creed also mentions about the sacrament of baptism for an adult or child, since it is this event that opens the doors to the Church of Christ. Those who have been baptized can participate in all other Sacraments. That is why during the baptism of a child, the text of the prayer of the cross must be recited. Thanks to this, God’s grace and saving power are given to a person.
You need to read the Creed during a child’s baptism a little differently; at the very end, “Amen” is said three times. The reading of the prayer at the baptism of a boy is entrusted to the godfather, and for girls - to the godmother. You can download and listen to the version of the prayer for baptism on the Internet.
- It says here about the general resurrection. During the second coming of Jesus Christ, every deceased person will be resurrected, acquiring a new appearance, endowed with deep spirituality and incorruptibility of the body. There will also be a change in the bodies still alive at the time of the coming of the Lord God.
- The last part of the prayer, the Creed, states that after the resurrection of the dead Christ's judgment will take place, while the righteous will gain endless joy by being reunited with God. At the end, “Amen” is pronounced, this word confirms the truth of everything said above.
Text version of the prayer Sivmol of Faith:
I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were.
For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.
And he rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. Tea of the resurrection of the dead. And the life of the next century. Amen
If you read or listen to it in the morning, it helps you to joyfully greet the new day and get into the mood for work. If the reading of the Creed is carried out for recovery, then it is necessary to listen to its text immediately before the main prayer.
Complete collection and description: prayer is a symbol of faith in modern language for the spiritual life of a believer.
Prayer "Creed"
During the sacrament of Baptism, in its preliminary part, the person being baptized reads the Creed prayer aloud. It is advisable, in preparation for the sacrament, to memorize the Creed; in extreme cases, sight reading is acceptable. This prayer contains, in the form of brief formulations, the entire Orthodox doctrine - that is, what Christians believe in, what it means, what it is aimed at, or for what purpose they believe in it. Both in the ancient Church and in subsequent times, knowledge of the Creed was a necessary condition in order to come to Baptism. This fundamental Christian prayer should be known to the godparents of infants, adults and children of conscious age who are receiving Baptism. The Creed is divided into 12 members - 12 short statements. The first clause speaks about God the Father, then through the seventh inclusive - about God the Son, in the eighth - about God the Holy Spirit, in the ninth - about the Church, in the tenth - about Baptism, in the eleventh - about the resurrection of the dead, in the twelfth - about eternal life .
In the ancient Church there were several short creeds, but when false teachings about God the Son and God the Holy Spirit appeared in the 4th century, it became necessary to supplement and clarify this prayer.
The modern Creed was compiled by the fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council, held in 325 in Nicaea (the first seven members of the Creed) and the fathers of the 2nd Ecumenical Council, held in 381 in Constantinople. (the remaining five members) Therefore, the full name of this prayer is the Niceno-Tsaregrad Creed.
St. Seraphim of Sarov, in his short prayer rule for the laity, commanded to read the prayer “Our Father” (3 times), “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary” (3 times) and “Creed” - 1 time.
“Adhering to this rule,” says Fr. Seraphim, “it is possible to achieve a measure of Christian perfection, for the three prayers indicated are the foundations of Christianity: the first, as a prayer given by the Lord Himself, is a model of all prayers; the second was brought from heaven by the Archangel in greeting to the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lord; The symbol briefly contains all the saving dogmas of the Christian faith.”
Symbol of faith
In Russian
1. I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
1. I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of everything visible and invisible.
2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were.
2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one being with the Father, by Him all things were created.
3. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human.
3. For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, he came down from heaven and took flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became a man.
4. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.
4. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.
5. And he rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.
5. And rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.
6. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
6. And ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father.
7. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
7. And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; His Kingdom will have no end.
8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets.
9. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
9. Into the one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
10. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
11. I hope for the resurrection of the dead.
11. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead.
12. And the life of the next century. Amen
12. And the lives of the next century. Amen (truly so).
Symbol of faith
1. I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. 2.And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. 3. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. 4. Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. 5. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. 6.And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. 7. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. 8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. 9.Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. 10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. 11. I hope for the resurrection of the dead, 12. and the life of the next century. Amen.
The creed or prayer “I Believe” is one of the main Christian prayers
The “Creed” prayer, the text of which in Russian will be given below, is considered one of the main prayers of Christianity of all denominations. It briefly sets out the basic truths of the Christian faith, i.e. what Christians around the world believe. For this reason, the name “Creed” is often replaced with the synonym “I Believe” - after the first word with which this prayer begins.
Every church gives a special place to the “Creed”: services begin with this prayer, and it is read by the godparents when a child is baptized. Those who themselves accept Baptism, including children who have reached conscious age, must also know it. The power of “I Believe” allows you to establish a close connection with the Lord and strengthen your faith in him.
Prayer “Creed”: text in Russian
In Russian, the text of the prayer “Creed” is as follows:
Brief historical background on the origin of prayer
The prototype of the “Creed” originated during the formation of the Church. Even then there were several short truths, the purpose of which was to remind baptized converts of what they should believe. Over time, as the rite of baptism underwent changes, the prayer began to take on its modern appearance, and new formulations were included in its content.
This version, in which the “Creed” exists now, was compiled at the First and Second Ecumenical Councils. The first was held in 325, in Nicaea, the second - in 381, in Constantinople (Constantinople). Based on the names of these cities, the modern “Creed” was called Nicene-Constantinopolitan. During the First Council, the first 7 truths of prayer were compiled, during the Second – the remaining 5.
Contents and interpretation of the prayer “I Believe”
The “Creed” consists of 12 members (parts). Each part contains one truth:
- 1st member – one God is mentioned;
- from 2nd to 7th - dedicated to Jesus Christ, the son of the Lord;
- 8th member – we are talking about the Holy Spirit;
- 9th member – dedicated to the united Church;
- The 10th member is the sacrament of baptism, its benefit;
- The 11th and 12th members are a mention of the Kingdom of Heaven, the resurrection of those who have passed into another world, and eternal life.
The meaning of prayer
It’s not for nothing that the “Creed” begins with the word “I Believe” - it contains a huge meaning, and it must be pronounced sincerely and resonate in the soul and consciousness of the person praying. Believing is the first thing required of a true Christian. Next, it lists what exactly he must believe in: in the trinity of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), in one Church and eternal life, which will reign on earth after the Last Judgment, where every single one will receive what they deserve.
Unity of God
The first part of the prayer is dedicated to the one God, precisely the one, since Christianity is a monotheistic religion. Before the birth of Christianity, people invented many gods for themselves and associated them with natural phenomena. And in the Christian religion there is only one Lord, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit are parts of it.
The essence of the Creator is revealed in the first member: thanks to him, life arose on earth, it was he who created everything living and inanimate, “visible and invisible.”
After the mention of the one God, there is a story about His Son - Jesus, who sacrificed his own life so that humanity would be granted deliverance from all sins. The Son of the Lord, born of an ordinary mortal woman, is considered by Christians to be God.
Christ grew up like an ordinary person, but differed from other people in the gift of miracles. He created many miracles in his life. People followed Jesus, and the apostles became his first disciples. He taught them God's word without hiding his origins. He was born, as all people are born, lived a human life and died like a man, and then was resurrected according to the will of his Father.
The Christian faith begins with the acceptance of the mystery of the birth, life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For this reason, a large part of the prayer is devoted to the Son of the Lord - in this part his life path is briefly revealed. It is believed that now he is next to his Father and awaits the onset of the Last Judgment.
Holy Spirit
The 8th part of the prayer is dedicated to the Holy Spirit. He is part of the one God and is revered along with the Creator and His Son.
United Church
In the ninth part of the “Creed” the Church is called one, catholic and apostolic. United - because it unites believers all over the world and spreads Christian truths among them. Sobornaya means universal. For Christianity there are no separate nations - any person living in this world can profess this religion. Apostolic - because the first followers of Christ were the apostles. They recorded the life of Jesus and his deeds, and spread this story throughout the world. The apostles chosen by Christ during his earthly life became the founders of the Christian religion.
Sacrament of Baptism
The tenth part of “I Believe” is dedicated to the sacrament of baptism. This prayer accompanies any baptismal ceremony. It is pronounced by the convert or his godparents. The roots of prayer itself originated with baptism, which is one of the key Christian traditions. By being baptized, a person accepts Jesus and prepares to pray and honor the triune God.
Resurrection of the dead and the advent of heaven on earth
The final, 12th, member of the “Creed” tells about the coming resurrection of the departed and the future paradise on earth for righteous Christians, which Jesus Christ will arrange after the Last Judgment and victory over darkness, not without the help of his mighty Father.
“Creed” ends on an optimistic note - anticipation of a wonderful time. These twelve members contain the entire essence and history of the Christian religion.
Thanks for the text! A friend asked to become the godmother of her newborn daughter. I'm getting ready here.
I first became acquainted with this prayer when I was baptized, already an adult. I still don’t part with it; I read it in difficult situations along with “Our Father.” Gives strength, helps to find a solution. I believe that everyone who sincerely believes in God is obliged to know it.
I can’t understand one thing, it is written that by being baptized, a person accepts Jesus, prepares to pray and honor the triune God. How can he do this in infancy?
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Symbol of faith. Prayers.
Symbol of faith- one of the main prayers for Orthodox Christians. It contains the main tenets of the Orthodox faith.
The Creed was approved at the first and second Ecumenical Councils (this is a meeting of teachers of the Orthodox Church to discuss and accept the truths of the faith) in the 4th century. For this reason, this prayer is also called Nicene-Constantinople (Nicaea and Constantinople - two cities in which the first and second Ecumenical Councils were held). The first council approved seven members of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Symbol, and the second council approved the last five.
The Importance of the Creed lies in the fact that it is in it that the essence of Orthodoxy is truly and truly reflected - everything that every layman should believe in. By saying the lines of this prayer, we briefly “remind” ourselves of the main thing in Christian doctrine.
There are twelve parts in total in the dogma, each of which contains one sentence. Each member of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan symbol begins with the word “I Believe.” The first part talks about faith in God the Father, who created our world; from the second to the seventh parts - about the life of Jesus Christ on earth: about the suffering during crucifixion and the resurrection. The eighth sentence talks about the Holy Spirit; in the ninth - about the Church, which is the main holy place of solitude for people and God; in the tenth - about holy baptism and in the last two parts - about the immortality of man, as well as about eternal life.
The Creed is one of three prayers that are included in the short prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov. In his opinion, with the help of this dogma, the prayers “Our Father” and “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary,” one can achieve a spiritual ideal. Therefore, the Creed must be understood by all Orthodox Christians.
Prayer Creed is read in the morning and evening prayer rules, and is also sung in church together with parishioners during the Liturgy of the Faithful (this is one of the parts of the Divine Liturgy - the morning church service). Although the Creed does not contain appeals to God, the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel or the saints, as well as thanksgiving or repentance, it is considered a prayer and is found in any prayer book.
For the sacrament of baptism, the Creed is the basic position. The godmother or godfather needs to know this prayer, because it is read at the entrance to the temple of God and during the process of the sacrament itself. The priest reads a prayer at the very beginning and end of the ritual. During home preparation for baptism, it is worth remembering that if the baby is a girl, then the Creed is read by the godmother, and if it is a boy, then by the godfather. If an adult is preparing for the sacrament of baptism, he reads this prayer himself. For this reason, it is necessary that at least one of the godparents memorize the Creed. Although the church may allow you to read a prayer from your own preparation or from a prayer book, in this case you need to be careful and think about the meaning.
The Creed of Orthodox Christians strengthens a person’s spiritual strength, which means it should be read as often as possible.
Prayer symbol of faith text in Church Slavonic language
- I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
- And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were.
- For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human.
- She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.
- And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.
- And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
- And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
- And in the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giving Lord, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
- Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
- I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
- Tea of the resurrection of the dead.
- And the life of the next century. Amen.
Prayer symbol of faith text in Russian
- I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of everything visible and invisible.
- And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, one being with the Father, by Him all things were created.
- For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, he came down from heaven and took flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became a man.
- He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.
- And rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.
- And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
- And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; His Kingdom will have no end.
- And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets.
- Into one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
- I recognize one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
- I look forward to the resurrection of the dead.
- And the life of the next century. Amen (truly so).
Text of the prayer Creed with accents
Prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ
Who is worshiped and glorified at all times and at every hour, in heaven and on earth, Christ God, long-suffering, abundantly merciful, abundantly gracious: who loves the righteous and has mercy on sinners, who calls everyone to salvation with promises for future blessings. Yourself, Lord, accept our prayer at this hour, and correct our belly to Your commandments; Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our thoughts; and deliver us from all sorrow, evil and disease: protect us with your holy angels, so that by guarding and instructing them, we may reach the union of faith, and the mind of your impregnable glory: for blessed art thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer for the living
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (name), my parents (names), relatives (names), bosses, mentors, benefactors (names) and all Orthodox Christians.
Prayer to the Honest Cross
May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear; just as wax melts in the face of fire, so let demons perish from the face of those who love God and signify themselves with the sign of the cross, and who say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by force on you of our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended into hell and straightened the power the devil and gave us to you, Your Honest Cross, to drive away every adversary. O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Virgin Mary and with all the saints forever. Amen.
Prayer for the departed
Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (names) and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Thy Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Prayer by agreement
A prayer by agreement is read if, in any difficult situation (illness, disaster, misfortune), two or more Christians agree (agree) together to pray intensely for deliverance from this misfortune.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Thou hast declared with Thy most pure lips: Amen, I say unto you, that if two of you give counsel on earth for every thing that is asked, it shall be received from My Father who is in Heaven; where there are two or three congregations in My name, I am in the midst of them. Thy words are immutable, O Lord, Thy mercy is unconditional and Thy love for mankind has no end. For this reason, we pray to Thee: grant to us, Thy servants (names), who have agreed to ask Thee (request), the fulfillment of our request. But not as we want, but as You want. Thy will be done forever. Amen.
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