The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

Questions & Answers

Here are some answers to common questions.

In Sacred Scripture, The Epistle of James tells us that, "The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects." (5:16) We therefore implore those in the heavenly host to pray for us to the Lord our God, as we would ask our brothers and sisters on Earth to pray for us. To learn more about this topic, here's an article that answers many of the common questions.

What a great question! Instead of trying to unpack all of the Scripture and rationale here, let's defer to Catholic Answers apologist Trent Horn in this thought-provoking and informative video. If videos aren't your thing, maybe this accompanying article would be better.

One approach to this can be taken through the lens of baptism as the sign of entry into the New Covenant. In the Old Covenant, entry was marked by circumcision-- which normally occurred during infancy. Saint Paul draws a parallel between baptism and circumcision in his Epistle to the Colossians when he says, "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ..." (2:11) You can read more about infant baptism here.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church
A summary of all Catholic doctrine

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved 25 June last and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church's faith and of Catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition and the Church's Magisterium. I declare it to be a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith.

— Pope St. John Paul II, Fidei depositum, part IV

Click the link below to access

Online Version