The Creed We Live By

“Increase our faith,” the disciples said to the Lord Jesus, in Luke 17, 5-10.  At Mass on Sundays and solemnities during the week, the faithful recite an ancient statement of faith, showing their solidarity in the Body of Christ.  In the following excerpt from the commentary on the Holy Mass composed by Pope Innocent III (d. 1216), we read of the Apostles Creed (or, ‘Symbol’):

“ ‘With the heart a man believes unto justice, and with the mouth profession is made unto salvation’ (Romans 10, 10).  The Church, in order to show that she receives the word of the Gospel with her heart, now chants the Symbol of Faith with her mouth.  The bishop [or priest] begins it in order to signify that every good thing proceeds from Christ.  For, ‘every highest gift, every perfect gift, is from above, and descends from the Father of lights’ (James 1, 17).  Therefore, lest that heavenly music say: ‘We sang to you and you did not dance’ (Matthew 11, 17), the whole chorus of the teaching of the Gospel responds with one harmonious voice professes the Faith in a solemn chorus.  The Greek word ‘symbol’ means ‘proof’ or ‘collection’.  [The ‘Symbol of Faith’ is properly so-called], for, while it shows the full rule and perfect reason of faith, it contains the articles of the Faith.  It is handed down that after the Apostles received the Holy Paraclete, when they were about to go forth to preach the Gospel, they came together as one upon the articles of faith.  They stated that as they were all of one accord in the one Faith, so they should concordantly preach one Faith, and so composed the Symbol.  Each one contributed his own article.  Thus, it was decided that it should contain twelve articles, since there were twelve Apostles.  The Symbol is chanted after the Gospel to show that faith follows preaching.  Thus, John writes: ‘When he had said this, many believed’ (John 7, 31).  And, according to the Apostle: ‘Faith comes from hearing, heard through the word of Christ’ (Romans 10, 17).  It was Pope Damasus who established by a sacred decree that the Symbol from the Council of Constantinople be chanted at Mass.”

This last “Symbol” originated with the Council of Nicea, and was slightly revised at Constantinople.