There are two creeds which are used at Mass. There is the Nicene Creed which has been used more frequently and the Apostles’ Creed which can also be used. The Missal says: “Instead of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan (Nicene) Creed, especially during Lent and Easter Time, the baptismal Symbol of the Roman Church, known as the Apostles’ Creed, may be used.”
The Apostles’ Creed is very ancient; the origins are very hard to trace. It was used in the Church in Rome and it was used in association with the baptismal process (catechumenate) in that Church. Baptisms in those early times were of adults, rather than children.
The Nicene Creed is a longer Creed and takes its importance from the two first Ecumenical Councils of the Church: the Council of Nicea in 325 and the first Council of Constantinople in 381. This Creed had links to earlier Creeds but it was expanded to express the two central mysteries of the Christian Faith – the divinity and humanity of Jesus and the Trinity.
In the years leading up to these Councils – and continuing to some extent after them – there were controversies over the two mysteries mentioned above. A priest called Arius proposed that Christ was not fully human and divine but rather that he was godlike. This undermined the very bases of the Christian faith and so these Councils were called to clarify and express these core Christian mysteries.
And so we get phrases in the Nicene Creed which are there to express who Christ is and the nature of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit: such phrases in reference to Jesus as “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God”.
So it is that in the light of those controversies we get a longer, more expanded and explicit Creed which gives clearer expression to the basis of the Christian Faith.
The Nicene Creed is accepted and used by all the major Christian Churches.
Regarding use in the liturgy, you can see from the quote from the Missal with which we began this piece, that the Apostles’ Creed – being a baptismal creed – is recommended, especially for Lent and Easter, when people are prepared for Baptism and Entry into the Church and during which we all renew the promises of our Baptism. Its use is not limited only to these times and is recommended especially for them.
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David Rush says:
I find the history of the church which is reflected in the Mass so interesting I have done some study on Arius and have to admit I have some sympathy for his view. If he had the numbers at the council what a huge difference we would have in our belief. Can I recommend to everyone a visit to Ravenna. The icons there are just extraordinary and there is rare relic of the Arian controversy in the Arian Baptistery