The Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church

The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed

The Nicene Creed has a complex history. The first version of it was promulgated at the Council of Nicea (325). An expanded version of the Creed was adopted at the Council of Constantinople (381). This later (Nicene-Constantinopolitan) version was formally promulgated at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 and is the so-called Nicene Creed used in the Orthodox Church to this day.

The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (in English)

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten [Son of God],

begotten of the Father before all ages,

[God of God,] Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made;

[being] of one essence [substance, being] with the Father; by whom all things were made;

who for us men and for our salvation

came down from heaven,

and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man;

and [He] was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried;

and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures [i.e. in accordance with Old Testament prophecies],

and ascended into heaven,

and sits at the right hand of the Father;

and He shall come again, with glory, to judge [both] the living and the dead;

whose kingdom shall have no end.

And [I believe] in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,

who proceeds from the Father;

who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified;

who spoke by the Prophets.

[And I believe] in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church;

I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins;

[and] I look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (in Greek)

Πιστεύομεν εις ένα Θεον Πατερα παντοκράτορα,

ποιητην ουρανου και γης, ορατων τε πάντων και αορατων.

Και εις ένα κύριον Ιησουν Χριστον, τον υιον του θεοθ τον μονογενη,

τον ει του πατρος γεννηθέν τα προ πάντων των αιώνων,

φως εκ φωτος, θεον αληθινον εκ θεου αληθινου, γεννηθέντα, ου ποιηθέντα,

ομοουσιον τωι πατρί δι' ου τα παντα εγένετο

τον δι' ημας τους αιθρώποους και δια την ημετέραν σωτηρίαν

κατελθοντα εκ των ουρανων

και σαρκωθέντα εκ πνεύματος αγίου και Μαρίας της παρθένου και ενανθρωπήσαντα,

σταυρωθέντα τε υπερ ημων επι Ποντίου Πιλάτου, και παθοντα και ταφέντα,

και ανασταντα τηι τρίτηι ημέπαι κατα τας γραφάς,

και ανελθόντα εις τους ουρανούς,

και καθεζόμενον εκ δεξιων του πατρός,

και πάλιν ερχόμενον μετα δόξης κριναι ζωντας και νεκρούς,

ου της βασιλείας ουκ έσται τέλος.

Και εις το Πνευμα το Άγιον, το κύριον, (και) το ζωοποιόν,

το εκ του πατρος εκπορευόμενον,

το συν πατρι και υιωι συν προσκυνούμενον και συνδοξαζόμενον,

το λαλησαν δια των προφητων.

Eις μίαν, αγίαν, καθολικην και αποστολικην εκκλησίαω;

ομολογουμεν εν βάπτισμα εις άφεσιν αμαρτιων;

προσδοκωμεν ανάστασιν νεκρων,

και ζωην του μελλοντος αιώωος.

As Orthodox Christians, we believe that Jesus the Christ, crucified and risen, is the subject of all truly Christian theology. This is consistent with St. Paul the apostle who said, "Remember, Jesus the Christ, raised from the dead, a descendent of David — that is my Gospel." (2 Timothy 2.8). We believe Jesus the Christ is proclaimed according to the Scriptures (the Law, the Psalms, the Prophets, and the Writings) by the writers of what is now called the "New Testament."

The Gospel (Jesus Christ crucified and risen) in which we believe is an integral and the foremost part of our rule of faith, which teaches us that there is one God, who is revealed in Scripture, one Lord Jesus Christ (who is His Son) and one Holy Spirit.

We believe that all of this is most appropriately and faithfully expressed in the Church's ecumenical creed, known as the Niceaen-Constantinopolitan Creed.

We believe that the Tradition of the Orthodox Christian Church is the continuity of the proclamation of the Gospel. To put it another way, we believe that Tradition is the continuous contemplation of Jesus as the Christ through our reading of (engagement with) the Scriptures. In the Orthodox Church, we believe this continuity of Tradition occurs at every level of the Orthodox Faith. Therefore, we believe that some things that other religious groups would consider "mere forms" or anachronisms actually witness to the Gospel of Christ. For example, the chanting of the Gospel during the Divine Liturgy (rather than simply, and logically, reading the text) realizes the sound of the trumpet that ushers in the coming Christ (1 Thessalonians 4.16, Revelation 1.10, 8.2, et. al.). In fact, the voice of Jesus the Christ (which is the voice of the Gospel) is "like a trumpet" (see Revelation 1.10 and 4.1). Also, the use of incense is the rising of the prayers of the faithful (Revelation 8.3-4). Even the offices of bishop, priest, and deacon reflect the Gospel. St. Ignatius of Antioch (ca. 110 A.D.) in his Letter to the Smyrnaeans, says that Christians are to follow (in all matters of faith) the bishop as Jesus the Christ follows the Father, the priests as the apostles, and deacons as the command of God (8.1).

We believe that all aspects of our faith serve to enlighten the Gospel and that these various aspects are not merely outward forms of worship to be thoughtlessly discarded inasmuch as Jesus is the One Mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2.5). For, if Jesus is the Mediator, then surely, we believe, he must mediate between God and all that which constitutes being human. Hence, Orthodoxy seeks to embrace, in a fully Christian manner, not only the mind and soul, but also the body and all human skills (such as organizational and pedagogical skills).

There are many sites and pages on the internet intending to inform people of the Orthodox Faith. Some sites that are especially helpful are:

Orthodox services do have an ethos that can be strikingly different from Western forms of worship. Here is a site that may be helpful:

On this page, Khouria Matthews-Greene provides a very helpful introduction, though two caveats should be made. First, she speaks of the "kiss of peace." However, in many (probably most) Orthodox parishes, this is performed only by the clergy (when more than one is present) just before the Nicean Creed is sung or said. Also, she states that the Orthodox Church does not have a practice of general confession. Generally speaking she is correct. However, there is a rite of general confession used in some parishes on Saturday evening following Great Vespers. Also, during the Liturgy itself, just prior to communion, the faithful join in saying a prayer that begins with "I believe, O Lord, and I confess..."

The Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church

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The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed