The forgotten Catholic Creed

[Spyridon]

The following is variously called either the Pian Creed or the Tridentine Creed. It was formulated at the Council of Trent, and this Creed together with the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian is one of the four major Creeds of the Catholic Church.

"I, N, with a firm faith believe and profess each and everything which is contained in the Creed which the Holy Roman Church maketh use of. To wit:

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. Born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God. Begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father. By whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. And became incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary: and was made man. He was also crucified for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. And on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and sits 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. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son. Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, and who spoke through the prophets. And one holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I await the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

I most steadfastly admit and embrace Apostolical and ecclesiastical traditions, and all other observances and constitutions of the Church.

I also admit the Holy Scripture according to that sense which our holy mother the Church hath held, and doth hold, to whom it belongeth to judge of the true sense and interpretations of the Scriptures. Neither will I ever take and interpret them otherwise than according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers.

I also profess that there are truly and properly Seven Sacraments of the New Law, instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord, and necessary for the salvation of mankind, though not all for every one; to wit, Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony; and that they confer grace; and that of these, Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders cannot be reiterated without sacrilege.

I also receive and admit the received and approved ceremonies of the Catholic Church in the solemn administration of the aforesaid sacraments.

I embrace and receive all and every one of the things which have been defined and declared in the holy Council of Trent concerning original sin and justification…"

 

[Spyridon]

"…I profess, likewise, that in the Mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead; and that in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly, really, and substantially, the Body and Blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that there is made a conversion of the whole substance of the bread into the Body, and of the whole substance of the wine into the Blood, which conversion the Catholic Church calls Transubstantiation. I also confess that under either kind alone Christ is received whole and entire, and a true sacrament.

I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls therein detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful. Likewise, that the saints, reigning together with Christ, are to be honored and invoked, and that they offer prayers to God for us, and that their relics are to be venerated.

I most firmly assert that the images of Christ, of the Mother of God, ever virgin, and also of other Saints, ought to be had and retained, and that due honor and veneration is to be given them.

I also affirm that the power of indulgences was left by Christ in the Church, and that the use of them is most wholesome to Christian people.

I acknowledge the Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church as the mother and mistress of all churches; and I promise true obedience to the Bishop of Rome, successor to St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and Vicar of Jesus Christ.

I likewise undoubtedly receive and profess all other things delivered, defined, and declared by the sacred Canons, and general Councils, and particularly by the holy Council of Trent, and by the ecumenical Council of the Vatican, particularly concerning the primacy of the Roman Pontiff and his infallible teaching. I condemn, reject, and anathematize all things contrary thereto, and all heresies which the Church hath condemned, rejected, and anathematized.

This true Catholic faith, outside of which no one can be saved, which I now freely profess and to which I truly adhere, inviolate and with firm constancy until the last breath of life, I do so profess and swear to maintain with the help of God. And I shall strive, as far as possible, that this same faith shall be held, taught, and professed by all those over whom I have charge. I N. do so pledge, promise, and swear, so help me God and these Holy Gospels."

 

[Spyridon]

The “Professio fidei Tridentina”, also known as the “Creed of Pope Pius IV”, is one of the four authoritative Creeds of the Catholic Church. It was issued on November 13, 1565 by Pope Pius IV in his bull “Iniunctum nobis” under the auspices of the Council of Trent (1545 - 1563). It was subsequently modified slightly after the First Vatican Council (1869 - 1870) to bring it inline with the dogmatic definitions of the Council. The major intent of the Creed was to clearly define the Catholic faith against Protestantism. At one time it was used by Theologians as an oath of loyalty to the Church and to reconcile converts to the Church, but it is rarely used these days.

 

[Maximilian75]

Can it be used in Mass at all?

 

[Canvas]

It is several times the length of the revised Nicene Creed that is the normal Profession. I think it would be impractical to recite when the Nicene Creed is perfectly adequate.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

It’s rather long.
Also, is it really necessary to bring up veneration of images and the Church’s power to grant indulgences in a Creed? One could be a good Catholic without ever venerating an image or obtaining an indulgence. These are optional activities permitted and facilitated by the Church, not requirements.

 

[commenter]

It is several times the length of the revised Nicene Creed that is the normal Profession. I think it would be impractical to recite when the Nicene Creed is perfectly adequate.

Some people would like to abbreviate the recitation of the Nicene Creed to maybe half its length; then a quarter its length. Then…

At the Newman Center 40 years ago, they regularly omitted any creed at Mass.

I agree it is long. But it does include some clarifications that are especially cloudy or ambiguous in the minds of many Catholics today. I suggest it be recited at least once a year in every parish, perhaps on the feast of that parish, or on some standard feast throughout the Church.

 

[Usagi]

Given that this is the Creed of Trent, formulated in response to the Protestant Reformation, it was probably important to emphasize that veneration of images and granting of indulgences are permitted, and not actively evil.

 

[Tatum]

Reminds me of the debate over whether marriage is a contract or a covenant.

 

[Spyridon]

evil

That’s exactly the reason why.

 

[ShowersofRoses]

I’ve never read that Creed before, but it is fascinating in that it clearly spells out several doctrines that have been debated lately on various threads.

 

[Vico]

Can it be used in Mass at all?

Just two are in the Roman Rite:

Only the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed is used at most Masses on Sundays and solemnities or option of the shorter Apostles’ Creed, per the GIRM.

 

[godisgood77]

I think I like that this one has fallen out of use

 

[Spyridon]

think I like that this one has fallen out of use

Why?

Because it explicitly teaches the “hard” Catholic doctrines?

This creed is still binding: anyone who doesn’t believe in this Creed isn’t a Catholic.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

This creed is still binding: anyone who doesn’t believe in this Creed isn’t a Catholic.

From a legal standpoint, I see a huge number of “vagueness” or unclear issues in it if it were used today. Most people reciting this today couldn’t name you three things done by the Council of Trent.

As for what constitutes an “Apostolical and ecclesiastical tradition”, one could argue that Vatican II itself changed or got rid of a lot of those, so are we swearing to embrace stuff contrary to the church?

Regarding the Scripture section, if we have a Bible study group at church, then how do we determine what the “unanimous consent of the Fathers” is when we are talking about what some verse means? Is no one to ever come up with a new insight?

Sometimes less is more when you’re getting people to swear loyalty oaths…

 

[Spyridon]

As for what constitutes an “Apostolical and ecclesiastical tradition”, one could argue that Vatican II itself changed or got rid of a lot of those, so are we swearing to embrace stuff contrary to the church?

Can you name some particular ones?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

The entire Latin Mass as said before it was changed into the OF, including many of the prayers and having the priest face ad orientem, was an “ecclesiastical tradition”.

I’m sure the Vatican 2 haters, of which I am not one, could provide you with a very long list of other things.

 

[Spyridon]

The entire Latin Mass as said before it was changed into the OF, including many of the prayers and having the priest face ad orientem, was an “ecclesiastical tradition”.

But those traditions were lawfully updated.

I don’t interpret that clause to mean specific traditions so much as whatever traditions the Church implements.

And the one about Bible verses, there are very few verses which are actually defined by the Fathers, but the ones that come immediately ti mind are Mat 16:18 and John 1:1, speaking of the primacy of Peter and the eternality of Christ.

I like this Creed because certain teachings which are denied or downplayed today are made explicit in it.

And this Creed was never abrogated so it’s still binding. Any Catholic who can’t say this Creed isn’t a Catholic in deed, but rather a heretic.

Similar to the Athanasian Creed.

 

[godisgood77]

No… I just don’t care for incorporating things like images and indulgences in to a Creed. This one seems overly concerned with pumping up certain aspects of Catholic traditions in reaction to Protestantism.

 

[Spyridon]

This one seems overly concerned with pumping up certain aspects of Catholic traditions in reaction to Protestantism.

Would you expect anything else?

This Creed is from the Council of Trent, the beginning of the Counter-Reformation, which was called in reaction to the spread of Protestantism.

Why would a Creed from Trent that’s part of the Counter-Reformation not reassert Catholic doctrines which were being challenged by the Protestant “reformers.”

The reason why I think it’s important for Catholics today to know and profess this Tridentine Creed is because several things contained in it have been softened post-VII - even though the Church still teaches everything contained in this Symbol.