Apostles Creed Prayer
Understanding the Prayers of the Rosary
Introduction
The Apostles’ Creed is one of the most familiar prayers in the Church, yet many Catholics have never stopped to consider what they are really saying when they pray it. Learned in childhood, repeated at Mass, and used to begin the Rosary, it can easily become a string of memorized lines rather than a living act of faith. This page is meant to slow that moment down and help the words reach the mind and the heart.
The Creed is called “Apostles'” not because the Apostles wrote it word-for-word, but because it faithfully gathers the main truths they preached: who God is, who Jesus Christ is, what He has done for our salvation, and what the Church believes about life, death, and eternity. Every “I believe” in this prayer is a personal response to God, but it is also a sharing in the one faith handed down from the Apostles through the centuries.
In the Rosary, the Apostles’ Creed has a special place. Prayed on the crucifix at the very beginning sets the foundation for everything that follows. Before we meditate on the mysteries of Christ’s life with Mary, we first stand before God and profess what we believe about Him, about His Church, and about the life He promises. The Creed is like the doorway to the Rosary: we pass through it each time we begin, often without thinking.
By understanding this prayer more clearly, the “Apostles’ Creed prayer” can become much more than a routine opening. It can become a conscious renewal of baptismal faith, a steadying of the heart before we take up the beads, and a reminder that when we pray the Rosary, we do so as members of the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.
The Apostles Creed Prayer (Full Text)
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;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there He will 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.
Historical Background
The Apostles’ Creed grew out of the life of the early Church as a simple, clear way to confess the faith before Baptism. In the first centuries, those preparing to enter the Church were taught a short “rule of faith” that summed up what the Apostles had handed on about God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, the Holy Spirit, the Church, and eternal life. Before going down into the waters of Baptism, they would publicly profess this faith, often at night, sometimes in the face of real danger.
The Creed is called “Apostles’” not because the Twelve sat together and wrote it line by line, but because it reflects the apostolic teaching. From very early on, Christians believed that this summary of faith matched what the Apostles preached in all the churches. In the West, especially in the Church of Rome, a baptismal profession developed that is very close to the form of the Apostles’ Creed we know today. Over time, the Church recognized in this formula a faithful “symbol” of the Apostolic faith.
By around the fourth century, local versions of this baptismal Creed were already in use in different places, but the Roman form slowly became a standard in the Latin Church. Its twelve short articles are sometimes said to echo the twelve Apostles, not as a strict historical claim, but as a reminder that the Creed stands on their witness. Each phrase is like a small stone laid by their preaching, forming one solid foundation of belief.
As the centuries passed, the Church also came to use a longer, more detailed Creed—the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed—to address specific heresies and clarify the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. That Creed is usually prayed at Mass on Sundays and solemnities. The Apostles’ Creed, however, retained its place as a shorter and more familiar profession, especially in catechesis, certain liturgical rites, and personal devotion.
In popular Catholic prayer, the Apostles’ Creed found a home at the beginning of the Rosary. Prayed on the crucifix, it gathers up the faith of the Church before we enter the mysteries of Christ’s life with Mary. In this way, an ancient baptismal confession became a daily and even hourly prayer on the lips of the faithful, uniting those who pray the Rosary to the same faith that first burned in the early Christian communities.
Step by Step Through the Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed is made up of short, simple lines, but each one carries a great truth. When this prayer is said slowly, “I believe” becomes more than a habit of speech. It becomes a personal act of faith.
“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”
Here, the soul speaks in the first person: “I believe.” This is not just repeating what others say, but standing before God with a personal act of trust. We confess God as Father, the source of all that exists, and as Almighty, whose power has no limit. Calling Him “Creator of heaven and earth” reminds us that everything we see and everything unseen comes from His hand. Our life is not an accident. We are created, loved, and held in being by God.
“And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,”
Now the Creed turns to Jesus Christ. He is confessed as the only Son of the Father, not merely a prophet or a moral teacher. To call Him “our Lord” is to acknowledge that He has a claim on our lives. He is true God from true God, sharing the exact divine nature as the Father. At the same time, the words “Jesus Christ” point to His mission as Savior and Messiah, the One anointed to redeem the human race.
“who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,”
Here we profess the Incarnation. Jesus did not begin to exist in Mary’s womb. As the eternal Son, He existed from all eternity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Yet at a moment in time, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He became truly man while remaining truly God. This line honors both the mystery of God’s humility—He takes on our nature—and the unique role of Mary, who freely said “yes” and became Mother of God.
“suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.”
Faith is not placed in vague ideas, but in historical events. Naming Pontius Pilate anchors the Creed in a real time and place. We confess that Jesus truly suffered, that He was not spared pain or humiliation. He was crucified, undergoing the most shameful form of execution. He truly died, and His body was buried. This line leaves no room for the idea that the Passion was a mere appearance or symbol. God’s Son entered fully into death for our sake.
“He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead;”
After death, Jesus “descended into hell”—that is, to the abode of the dead, not the place of eternal damnation, but the state where the souls of the just awaited their Redeemer. He went there as Savior, to open heaven for those who had died in hope. “On the third day” He truly rose again from the dead. The Resurrection is not a myth or only a spiritual feeling. The same Jesus who died on the Cross stood alive in a real, risen body and appeared to His disciples. Without this truth, the faith would be empty; with it, death is conquered.
“He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;”
Forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven. He did not vanish or simply “live on” in memory. He entered the glory of the Father with His risen body. To say that He is “seated at the right hand of God” is to say that He shares fully in the Father’s authority and glory. From there, He intercedes for us as our High Priest. His human Heart beats in heaven, and our nature, raised in Him, already has a place there.
“from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”
The Creed looks ahead to the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus will return in glory, not in weakness, and He will judge the living and the dead. This reminds us that history has a true goal and that each person will stand before Him. For those who love Him, this judgment is not only a cause for fear, but also a hope: evil will not have the last word, and Christ’s justice and mercy will be made clear.
“I believe in the Holy Spirit,”
Now we profess faith in the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. He is not an impersonal force but the true God, “the Lord and Giver of life.” To believe in the Holy Spirit is to believe that God Himself comes to dwell in the soul, to sanctify, guide, and strengthen the Church and each believer. All true holiness, all light in the mind and warmth in the heart, is His work.
“the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints,”
Here we confess that the Church is holy, not because her members are without sin, but because Christ is holy and the Holy Spirit lives in her. She is Catholic, that is, universal: sent to all peoples and all times. The communion of saints speaks of the deep bond that unites the faithful on earth, the souls being purified, and the saints in heaven. In Christ, the Church is one family that helps one another by prayer, sacrifice, and love.
“the forgiveness of sins,”
We profess that sins can truly be forgiven. Through the Cross of Christ and the grace He pours out, God not only tolerates us but removes guilt when we repent. This forgiveness is first given in Baptism, and then again in the sacrament of Penance. The Creed reminds us that no sin is greater than God’s mercy when a soul turns back to Him with a contrite heart.
“the resurrection of the body,”
Here we declare that salvation touches not only the soul, but also the body. At the end of time, God will raise our bodies and unite them again with our souls. These risen bodies will be changed and glorified, but they will still be truly ours. This truth protects us from any idea that the body is worthless. Our body is meant to share in the glory or shame of how we have lived.
“and life everlasting. Amen.”
The final promise is “life everlasting.” This is not only endless existence, but eternal communion with God, seeing Him face to face in the joy of heaven. To say “Amen” at the end of the Creed is to say a firm “Yes” to all that we have just professed. We agree with the faith of the Church and entrust ourselves to God on the strength of these truths.
The Faith Proclaimed in the Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed is more than a list of statements. It is the Church’s faith in a small, steady flame. When a person says “I believe” with attention, this prayer becomes a real act of trust in God and a sharing in what the whole Church believes.
Faith in the Most Holy Trinity
From the first line, the Creed is a confession of the Trinity. We believe in God the Father Almighty, in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, and in the Holy Spirit. These are not three gods, but one God in three divine Persons. The Father is the source and origin; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit is the Lord and giver of life, proceeding from the Father and the Son. Each “I believe” in the Creed is grounded in this mystery. Whenever we pray it, we stand inside the light of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Faith in Jesus Christ, true God and true Man
The central and longest part of the Creed speaks of Jesus Christ. It proclaims that He is true God, the only Son of the Father, and also true Man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. It sets before us the great mysteries of His life: His Incarnation, His suffering and death under Pontius Pilate, His burial, His descent into the dead, His Resurrection on the third day, His Ascension into heaven, and His coming again in glory.
This means that our faith is anchored in real events. God did not save us from a distance. The eternal Son entered our history, took on our weakness, carried our sins, and opened heaven by His Cross and Resurrection. Whenever we say this Creed, we are quietly saying, “I stake my life on Jesus Christ—on who He is and on what He has done.”
Faith in the Holy Spirit and the life of grace
The Creed then turns to the Holy Spirit. To say “I believe in the Holy Spirit” is to confess that God Himself comes to dwell in us and in the Church. He is the hidden guest of the soul, the one who gives light to the mind, strength to the will, and warmth to love. Without the Holy Spirit, we could not truly believe, pray, or grow in holiness.
The Creed reminds us that the Christian life is not just our own effort. It is life in the Spirit. He is the One who brings Christ’s work into our hearts, makes prayer possible, and forms Christ’s likeness in us over time.
Faith in the holy Catholic Church and the communion of saints
We confess next “the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints.” Here, the Creed teaches that faith is never a private possession. The Church is holy because Christ is her Head and the Holy Spirit sanctifies her, even though her members are sinners in need of mercy. She is Catholic—universal—because she is sent to all nations and teaches the same faith in every age.
The communion of saints tells us that the Church is larger than what we can see. It includes the faithful on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the saints in heaven. In Christ, there is a real sharing of spiritual goods: prayers, sacrifices, and merits are offered and received across this great family. When we say the Creed at the start of the Rosary, we are not praying alone. We are joining the whole Church in heaven and on earth.
Faith in the Forgiveness of Sins
The words “the forgiveness of sins” bring us back to the heart of the Gospel. They proclaim that sin is not the final word over our life. Because of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection, God truly forgives those who repent and seek His mercy. This forgiveness is first given in Baptism and is renewed especially in the sacrament of Penance.
Each time we say this line, we are reminded that we do not carry our sins alone. We are invited to trust in God’s mercy, to confess our sins with honesty, and to begin again. The Creed keeps before us the truth that God’s grace is stronger than our failures.
Faith in the Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting
The final lines of the Creed lift our eyes to the future God has prepared: “the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.” Here we profess that death does not have the last word. At the end of time, God will raise our bodies and unite them again with our souls. Our bodies will be transformed and glorified, but they will still be truly ours.
“Life everlasting” is not just endless time. It is eternal life with God, sharing in His own joy, seeing Him face to face, and living in perfect love with all the saints. When we end the Creed with “Amen,” we are saying a firm “Yes” to this hope. We entrust ourselves, and those we love, to the God who has promised such a destiny.
In this way, the Apostles’ Creed gathers the whole faith into a few short lines: the Trinity, Christ’s saving work, the Spirit and His grace, the Church, mercy, the Resurrection, and eternal life. At the beginning of the Rosary, this prayer is like a foundation stone. By professing these truths with Mary at our side, we are ready to walk through the mysteries of her Son with a clearer and more deliberate faith.
The Apostles’ Creed in Teaching and Prayer
The Apostles’ Creed has always been more than a text to be studied. It is a tool for teaching, a doorway into the sacraments, and a steady prayer on the lips of the faithful. Through it, the Church hands on the faith and helps each generation make it their own.
In Teaching and Catechesis
From the early Church to today, the Apostles’ Creed has been a basic teaching outline for the faith. Those preparing for Baptism were taught the Creed line by line so they would know whom they were trusting and what the Church believes. Even now, it serves as a simple framework in catechism classes, RCIA, and adult faith formation.
When children learn the Creed, they are not just memorizing words. They are being introduced, in small steps, to the mysteries of the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Church, and eternal life. Teachers and parents can return to the Creed again and again, using it to answer questions about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the hope of heaven. In this way, the Apostles’ Creed becomes a kind of map of the faith, one that can be unfolded slowly as a person grows.
In the Liturgy and the Sacraments
In the liturgy, the Apostles’ Creed is closely linked with Baptism. Its structure reflects the threefold profession of faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit that is made before the baptismal water is poured. When the Creed is used in rites connected with Baptism, such as the renewal of baptismal promises, it brings people back to the day they were first signed with the Cross and reborn in Christ.
At Mass, especially in the Latin Church, the Nicene Creed is more commonly recited on Sundays and solemnities because it is fuller and was shaped by the great councils that defended the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Yet the Apostles’ Creed remains an approved option in certain places and circumstances, and it is often used in other liturgical celebrations, such as the Liturgy of the Hours, some parish devotions, and services where a shorter profession of faith is fitting.
In this way, the Creed remains what it has always been: a public confession. When it is recited in Church, the faithful are not only praying as individuals; they are standing together and saying, “This is what we believe, together with the whole Church.”
In the Rosary
In the Rosary, the Apostles’ Creed holds a special and familiar place. It is prayed on the crucifix at the very beginning, before any of the decades begin. Here, the Creed acts as the foundation for the whole devotion. Before the faithful walk through the mysteries of the life of Christ with Mary, they first profess the faith of the Church in God the Father, in Jesus Christ His only Son, in the Holy Spirit, and in the Church and eternal life.
Praying the Creed at the start of the Rosary is like planting one’s feet on solid rock. It reminds the soul that the mysteries to be meditated are not stories or symbols, but real events in the history of salvation, carried out by the Lord whom we confess in this prayer. When the Creed is said with attention, it steadies the heart and helps the rest of the Rosary to be prayed in a spirit of clear faith.
In Personal Prayer and Daily Life
Beyond formal settings, many Catholics use the Apostles’ Creed in personal prayer. It can be prayed slowly at the beginning of the day, as a morning profession of faith in God and in His plan. It can be used in times of doubt or confusion, when the mind is pulled in many directions. Simply standing or kneeling and saying, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty…” is a way of anchoring the soul again in what does not change.
Some people pray the Creed before reading Scripture, before making an important decision, or when they feel their faith is weak. The words help gather their thoughts and draw them out of fear and back into trust. Because the Creed is short and steady, it can be carried easily in memory and brought to the lips whenever needed.
A Bond of Unity in the Church
Finally, the Apostles’ Creed serves as a bond of unity. When a Catholic in one country, language, or rite prays this Creed, they are saying the same faith as a Catholic halfway around the globe. The accents and melodies may differ, but the content remains the same. This is why the Creed is sometimes called a “symbol” of faith: it is a sign that those who profess it share the same belief.
In the Rosary, this unity is felt in a quiet way. A person praying alone in a chapel, a family kneeling in a living room, a parish gathered before a statue of Our Lady—all begin with the same Creed. They may never see one another, but they are knit together in the same confession. When the Apostles’ Creed is prayed with love, it not only teaches; it also joins the faithful to the Church that believes, prays, and hopes in God, from the time of the Apostles to today.
Practical Reflection for the Faithful
Because the Apostles’ Creed is so familiar, it is easy to let the words pass by without really hearing them. Yet if this prayer is said with attention, it can steady the heart and shape the way a person lives each day.
One simple practice is to slow down one line at a time. Instead of rushing through the whole Creed, pause briefly after each “I believe.” Let yourself feel the weight of what you are saying. When you say, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty,” you can quietly add in your heart, “Father, I trust You, even in what I do not understand.” When you confess, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” you might think, “Lord, help me to believe that Your mercy is greater than my past.” The Creed then becomes not only a statement, but a dialogue of trust with God.
The Creed can also be a daily anchor. Praying it in the morning, perhaps before other prayers, is a way of handing the day to God and reminding yourself of what is true before worries and tasks crowd in. In the evening, it can be prayed as a kind of examination of faith: Did I live today as someone who believes in the Father’s care, in Christ’s Cross and Resurrection, in the Holy Spirit at work in me, in the love of the Church, and in eternal life? This does not mean judging oneself harshly, but letting the Creed gently call the heart back to fidelity.
Within the Rosary, the Apostles’ Creed provides a sure foundation for the whole prayer. Before beginning the first Our Father, it can help to pause on the crucifix and pray the Creed a little more slowly than usual. You might offer it for someone whose faith is weak, for family members who have drifted away, or for your own growth in trust. Remember that as you say “I believe,” you are not alone; you are standing with Mary and with the whole Church, past and present, professing the same faith.
The Creed is also a help in times of doubt or fear. When questions trouble the mind or the future looks dark, the temptation is to turn inward and circle back to the same worries. In those moments, simply kneeling or sitting quietly and praying the Apostles’ Creed can be an act of humble strength. You may not feel strong or clear, but you can still say, “I believe,” and place your weight on what God has revealed rather than on shifting feelings.
Finally, the Apostles’ Creed can teach us to live as people of hope. The last lines about the Resurrection of the body and life everlasting are not meant only for funerals. They are meant for ordinary days, when you are tired, when you carry a hidden cross, when you see the suffering of those you love. To repeat, “I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come,” is to remind the soul that this life is not the whole story. The Creed lifts the eyes above the passing troubles of the present and fixes them on the God who began our life, redeemed it in Christ, and calls us to share His joy forever.
Prayed in this way, the Apostles’ Creed is no longer just the “opening prayer” at the start of the Rosary. It becomes a strong, quiet act of faith that can steady the soul, enlighten the mind, and prepare the heart to walk through the mysteries of Christ with Mary at one’s side.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Apostles’ Creed is a short summary of the main truths of the Christian faith: who God is, who Jesus Christ is, what He has done for our salvation, and what the Church believes about the Holy Spirit, the Church, forgiveness, Resurrection, and eternal life. It grew out of the early Church’s baptismal profession of faith and is now used in catechesis, personal prayer, and at the beginning of the Rosary.
No, the Apostles did not sit down and compose this Creed word for word. It is called “Apostles’” because it faithfully expresses the apostolic faith—what the Apostles preached and handed on to the Church. From very early times, Christians believed that this formula matched the teaching of the Apostles and could be trusted as a true “symbol” of their faith.
The Apostles’ Creed is shorter and grew from ancient baptismal formulas in the early Church, especially in Rome. The Nicene Creed (more fully, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed) was formulated at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople to address specific heresies and to clarify the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. At Mass on Sundays and solemnities, the Nicene Creed is usually used; the Apostles’ Creed is more often used in catechesis, in some liturgical settings, and in devotions such as the Rosary.
The Apostles’ Creed at the start of the Rosary acts as a foundation for the whole prayer. Before meditating on the mysteries with Mary, the faithful stand before God and profess what the Church believes about the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Church, forgiveness, and eternal life. Prayed with attention, it turns the Rosary from a routine into a conscious act of faith, prayed in union with the whole Church.
Yes. The Creed does not contain optional opinions; it includes the core truths of the Catholic faith. To be a practicing Catholic is to accept what the Creed professes about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, forgiveness of sins, the Resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. A person may still be learning and deepening their understanding, but the Creed itself is not something we edit for ourselves.
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Charles Rogers is a resident of South Carolina and a retired computer programmer by trade. Raised in various Christian denominations, he always believed in Jesus Christ. In 2012, he began experiencing authentic spiritual encounters with the Blessed Virgin Mary, which led him on a seven-year journey at her hand, that included alcohol addiction, a widow maker heart attack and death and conversion to the Catholic Faith. He is the exclusive author and owner of Two Percent Survival, a website dedicated to and created in honor of the Holy Mother. Feel free to email Charles at twopercentsurvival@gmail.com.
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