Learn Latin through prayer with Credo
Credo Logo

Credo

Symbolum Apostolorum

also known as The Apostles' Creed, The Creed, Credo

0 / 9

Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Et in Iesum Christum, Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum,

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;

qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine,

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary;

passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus,

Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died, and was buried;

descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis,

He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;

ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis,

He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos.

From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem,

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints;

remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.

The forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

About the Symbolum Apostolorum

The Symbolum Apostolorum — the Apostles' Creed — is the oldest summary of the Catholic faith, the baptismal symbol of the Church of Rome. In twelve short articles it professes belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and in the work of our salvation from the Incarnation to life everlasting. Tradition holds that it preserves the faith handed down from the Twelve Apostles, and the Church has the catechumen profess it at the very threshold of Baptism.

When prayed: Professed at Baptism and in the renewal of baptismal promises, prayed at the beginning of the Holy Rosary, and recited daily by the faithful as a confession of faith.

Line-by-line translation

The Latin text of the Symbolum Apostolorum alongside its English translation, line by line.

Latin English
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae. I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
Et in Iesum Christum, Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum, And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary;
passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus, Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died, and was buried;
descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis, He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis, He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos. From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints;
remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen. The forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Vocabulary

Word-by-word definitions and example uses. Tap any word to learn its meaning, then return to the prayer with new ears.

credo

Definition: I believe

Credo in Deum. (I believe in God.)

in

Definition: in, into

Puellam in horto vidi. (I saw the girl in the garden.)

deum

Definition: God

Deum adoro. (I worship God.)

patrem

Definition: father

Patrem amamus. (We love the father.)

omnipotentem

Definition: almighty, omnipotent

Deus omnipotens est. (God is almighty.)

creatorem

Definition: creator

Creatorem laudamus. (We praise the creator.)

caeli

Definition: heaven

In caelo stellae lucebant. (Stars were shining in the sky.)

terrae

Definition: earth

Flora terrae varia est. (The flora of the earth is diverse.)

et

Definition: and

Puer et puella ludunt. (The boy and girl are playing.)

iesum

Definition: Jesus

Iesum adoro. (I worship Jesus.)

christum

Definition: Christ

Christum sequor. (I follow Christ.)

filium

Definition: son

Is est filius regis. (He is the son of the king.)

eius

Definition: his

Filius eius superbus est. (His son is proud.)

unicum

Definition: only, unique

Unicum diem celebramus. (We celebrate the unique day.)

dominum

Definition: lord, master

Dominum saluto. (I greet the lord.)

nostrum

Definition: our

Nostrum domum amat. (He loves our home.)

qui

Definition: who

Puer qui legit. (The boy who reads.)

conceptus

Definition: conceived

Conceptus in utero. (Conceived in the womb.)

est

Definition: is

Puella est laeta. (The girl is happy.)

de

Definition: from, of

De monte venit. (He comes from the mountain.)

spiritu

Definition: spirit

Spiritu fortis est. (He is strong in spirit.)

sancto

Definition: holy

Templum sanctum est. (The temple is holy.)

natus

Definition: born

Natus est in Roma. (He was born in Rome.)

ex

Definition: from, out of

Ex urbe venit. (He comes from the city.)

maria

Definition: Mary

Maria mater Christi est. (Mary is the mother of Christ.)

virgine

Definition: virgin

Virgine natus est. (Born of a virgin.)

passus

Definition: suffered

Passus in crucem. (He suffered on the cross.)

sub

Definition: under

Sub arbore sedeo. (I sit under the tree.)

pontio

Definition: Pontius

Pontio Pilato iudice. (Under Pontius Pilate as judge.)

pilato

Definition: Pilate

Pontio Pilato iudice. (Under Pontius Pilate as judge.)

crucifixus

Definition: crucified

Crucifixus pro nobis. (Crucified for us.)

mortuus

Definition: dead

Mortuus est gloria. (He died gloriously.)

sepultus

Definition: buried

Sepultus in sepulchro. (Buried in a tomb.)

descendit

Definition: descended

Descendit ad inferos. (He descended into hell.)

ad

Definition: to, toward

Ad urbem properat. (He hurries to the city.)

inferos

Definition: hell

Inferos descendit. (He descended into hell.)

tertia

Definition: third

Tertia hora venit. (He comes at the third hour.)

die

Definition: day

Die festo gaudemus. (We rejoice on the feast day.)

resurrexit

Definition: rose again

Resurrexit a mortuis. (He rose again from the dead.)

a

Definition: from

A villa venit. (He comes from the house.)

mortuis

Definition: dead

Resurrexit a mortuis. (He rose again from the dead.)

ascendit

Definition: ascended

Ascendit in montem. (He ascended the mountain.)

caelos

Definition: heavens

Caelos speculatur. (He observes the heavens.)

sedet

Definition: sits

Sedet ad mensam. (He sits at the table.)

dexteram

Definition: right hand

Ad dexteram patris sedit. (He sits at the right hand of the father.)

dei

Definition: of God

Verbum Dei. (The word of God.)

patris

Definition: of the Father

Gloria Patris. (Glory of the Father.)

omnipotentis

Definition: almighty

Dei omnipotentis potestas. (The power of almighty God.)

inde

Definition: from there

Inde venit. (He came from there.)

venturus

Definition: about to come

Venturus est ad iudicium. (He is about to come to judgment.)

iudicare

Definition: to judge

Iudicare debet recte. (He must judge rightly.)

vivos

Definition: the living

Vivos et mortuos iudicat. (He judges the living and the dead.)

mortuos

Definition: the dead

Vivos et mortuos iudicat. (He judges the living and the dead.)

spiritum

Definition: spirit

Spiritum fortis est. (He is strong in spirit.)

sanctum

Definition: holy

Templum sanctum est. (The temple is holy.)

sanctam

Definition: holy

Ecclesia sanctam est. (The Church is holy.)

ecclesiam

Definition: church

Ecclesiam amo. (I love the Church.)

catholicam

Definition: catholic

Ecclesia catholica est. (The Church is catholic.)

sanctorum

Definition: of the saints

Communio sanctorum. (The communion of saints.)

communionem

Definition: communion

In communionem sanctorum. (Into the communion of saints.)

remissionem

Definition: forgiveness

Remissionem peccatorum peto. (I seek forgiveness of sins.)

peccatorum

Definition: of sins

Remissio peccatorum. (Forgiveness of sins.)

carnis

Definition: of the flesh

Resurrectio carnis. (The resurrection of the flesh.)

resurrectionem

Definition: resurrection

Resurrectionem expectamus. (We await the resurrection.)

vitam

Definition: life

Vitam aeternam amo. (I love eternal life.)

aeternam

Definition: eternal

Vitam aeternam spero. (I hope for eternal life.)

amen

Definition: truly, so be it

Amen, ita fiat. (Amen, so be it.)

About the Symbolum Apostolorum

What is the Symbolum Apostolorum?

The Symbolum Apostolorum — the Apostles' Creed — is the most ancient creed of the Western Church, a brief profession of faith in twelve articles. The Latin word symbolum means a 'sign' or 'token' of recognition: the Creed is the mark by which Christians recognize one another in the one faith. The Catechism calls it 'the oldest Roman catechism' and the faithful summary of the apostles' faith.

Why is it called the 'Apostles'' Creed?

From at least the fourth century the Church has held that the Creed faithfully sums up the teaching of the Twelve Apostles. A pious tradition even assigns one of its articles to each Apostle. Whether or not they composed it word-for-word, the Creed is 'apostolic' because it guards and hands on the faith they preached — the rule of faith into which every Christian is baptized.

How is it different from the Nicene Creed?

The Apostles' Creed is the shorter, older baptismal creed of the Roman Church; the Nicene Creed (professed at Sunday Mass) is the fuller creed drawn up by the Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381) to confess the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit against the heresies of the age. The two do not contradict each other — the Nicene Creed expands and defends what the Apostles' Creed professes more simply.

What does 'descendit ad inferos' mean?

Descendit ad inferos means 'He descended into hell' — more precisely, into the abode of the dead (the 'limbo of the Fathers'), not the hell of the damned. Between His death and Resurrection, Christ descended to the realm of the dead to open the gates of heaven to the righteous who had died before Him. It is this descent the Church celebrates as the 'Harrowing of Hell.'

Why does the Creed begin with 'Credo'?

Credo simply means 'I believe.' The Creed is named for this first word — its incipit — and the whole of the Christian life flows from it. To say Credo is to make a personal act of faith, entrusting oneself wholly to the God who reveals Himself in the articles that follow.

Other Latin Catholic prayers

Pray this in Latin — fluently.

Credo teaches you to read the Symbolum Apostolorum (and every other Catholic prayer) in Latin the way the saints did — through the words themselves, not grammar drills.

Download Credo for iOS