Ancient Creeds

A creed is simply a statement of belief. Creeds put into words the experiences of
the believing community. Catholics, Orthodox, and many Protestants all revere the
ancient creed.

Creud nan Abstol (Apostles Creed)

written3rd-4th centuries
The Apostles Creed is Trinitarian in focus, and has has three sections
acknowledging the three divine Persons involvement in human redemption. It was
intended as a summary of the main points concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. A
brief distillation of Christian truth drawn from Scripture. It has received this title
because of its great antiquity; it dates from very early times in the Church, a half
century or so from the last writings of the New Testament.

Tha mi creidsinn ann an Dia an t-Athair Uilechumhachdach, Cruithfhear nimh agus

talmhainn:
Agus ann an Iosa Criosd aon Mhac-san ar
Tighearn,
A ghabhadh leis an Spiorad naomh, A rugadh leis
an Oigh Muire,
A dh fhuiling fo Phontius Pilat, A cheusadh, a
fhuair bs, agus a dh adhlaiceadh; Chaidh e sos
do dh ifrinn,*
Air an treas l dh irich e rs o na mairbh,
Chaidh e suas gu Namh, Agus tha e n a shuidhe
air deas limh Dh an t-Athair
Uilechumhachdach;
As an sin thig e thoirt breth air na bothaibh agus
air na mairbh.
Tha mi creidsinn anns an Spiorad naomh;
S an Eaglais naomh Choitchionn; An
Comhchomunn nan Naomh;
Am maitheanas pheacaidhean;
An aiseirigh a chuirp,
Agus s a bheatha shorruidh, Amen.
Air neo Chatholach.* Staid spiorad nam marbh.

I believe in God the Father,

Almighty, Maker of heaven and
earth:
And in Jesus Christ, his only
begotten Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy
Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was
crucified, dead and buried: He
descended into hell:
The third day he rose again from the
dead:
He ascended into heaven, and sits at
the right hand of God the Father
Almighty:
From thence he shall come to judge
the quick and the dead:
I believe in the Holy Ghost:
I believe in the holy catholic church:
the communion of saints:
The forgiveness of sins:
The resurrection of the body:
And the life everlasting. Amen.

Creud na Nicene (Nicene Creed) written

325 AD
This creed was written in AD 325 and completed in its present form in AD 381. Over
300 Church leaders from all over the world gathered to write the creed. It was
written in response to a heresy called "Arianism" that denied Jesus was fully God.
The Nicene Creed is ultimately about the Trinity, but it also affirms historical

realities of Jesus life. The creed is purposely based on the Bible, the story of God
and Christ. It emphasizes the Sons full equality with God the Father.

Tha mi creidsinn ann an aon Dia an t-Athair

Uile-chumhachdach, Cruithfhear nimh agus
talmhainn, Agus nan uile nithe faicsinneach I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
agus neo-fhaicsinneach.
Maker of heaven and earth, and of all
things visible and invisible.
Agus ann an aon Tighearn Iosa Criosd,
aonghin Mhic Dh, A ghineadh o Athair
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the onlyroimh na saoghail uile, Dia de Dhia, Solus begotten Son of God, begotten of the
de Sholus, For Dhia de dh fhor Dhia,
Father before all worlds; God of God,
Ginte, cha-n ann deanta, Air dha bhi de n
Light of Light, very God of very God;
aon nadur ris an Athair; Leis an d rinneadh begotten, not made, being of one
na h-uile nithe, A thinig as ar leth-ne
substance with the Father, by whom all
daoine, agus air son ar sbhalaidh a nuas o things were made. Who, for us men for
namh, a gus a ghabh feil air fin leis an
our salvation, came down from heaven,
Spiorad Naomh den Oigh Muire, Agus a
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of
rinneadh n a dhuine, Agus a cheusadh mar the virgin Mary, and was made man; and
an ceudna air ar son-ne fo Phontius Pilat. Dh was crucified also for us under Pontius
fhuiling e agus dh adhlaiceadh e, Agus air an Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and
treas l dh irich e rs a rir nan
the third day He rose again, according to
Sgriobtuirean, Agus chaidh e suas gu
the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven,
namh, Agus a tha e n a shuidhe air deas
and sits on the right hand of the Father;
limh an Athar. Agus thig e rs le glir a
and He shall come again, with glory, to
thoirt breth araon air na bethaibh agus air judge the quick and the dead; whose
na mairbh: Air a roghachd cha bhi croch. kingdom shall have no end.
Agus tha mi creidsinn anns an Spiorad
Naomh, An Tighearn agus Tabhartair
beatha, A tha teachd on Athair agus on
Mhac, A tha maille ris an Athair agus ris a
Mhac maraon air aoradh agus air a
ghlrachadh, A labhair leis na Fidhibh.
Agus tha mi creidsinn aon Eaglais
Choitchionn agus Abstolaich. Tha mi g
aideachadh aon Bhaistidh a chum
maitheanais pheacaidhean, Agus tha dil
agam ri Aiseirigh nam marbh, Agus ri
beatha an t-saoghail a tha ri teachd. Amen.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord

and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the
Father and the Son; who with the Father
and the Son together is worshipped and
glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And
I believe 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.

Gloria
Although the Gloria isnt really a Creed as such, it is an ancient and beautiful hymn
of the early Church.

Glir gun robh do Dhia anns na h-rdaibh,

agus air talamh sth, deadh-ghean do dhaoinibh.
Tha sinn a toirt molaidh dhuit,

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to people of
good will.

tha sinn g ad bheannachadh,

tha sinn a toirt aoraidh dhuit,
tha sinn a toirt glire dhuit,
tha sinn a toirt buidheachais dhuit air son do mhr
ghlire,
O Thighearna Dh, a Rgh namhaidh, a Dh, an tAthair Uile-chumhachdach;
agus dhuit-sa, O Dh, an t-aon-ghin Mhic Iosa
Criosd;
agus dhuit-sa, O Dh, an Spiorad Naomh.
O Thighearna, an t-aon-ghin Mhic Iosa Criosd:
O Thighearna Dh, Uain Dh, Mhic an Athar,
a tha toirt air falbh pheacaidhean an t-saoghail, dean
trcair oirnn.
Thusa a tha toirt air falbh pheacaidhean an tsaoghail, gabh ri r n-urnuigh.
Thusa a tha a d shuidhe air deas limh Dh an Athar,
dean trcair oirnn.
Oir is tusa a mhin a tha naomh, is tusa a mhin an
Tighearn, is tusa a mhin, O Chriosd,
maille ris an Spiorad Naomh, a tha ro rd ann an
glir Dh an Athar. Amen.

We praise you.
We bless you.
We glorify you.
We give thanks to you for your
great glory.
Lord God, Heavenly King, God
Almighty Father.
Lord Only-begotten Son, Jesus
Christ.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of
the Father.
You who take away the sins of the
world have mercy on us.
You who take away the sins of the
world hear our prayer.
You who sit at the Fathers right
hand, have mercy on us.
For you alone are holy.
You alone, Lord.
You alone the Most High, Jesus
Christ.
With the Holy Spirit in the glory
of God the Father. Amen

Athanasius Creed (Creud Naomh

Atanasius) written 4th-5th centuries
This is the longest and most philosophical of the ecumenical creeds with forty
individual clauses. Formally and explicitly sets forth the orthodox doctrines of the
Trinity and the incarnation. Rejects both polytheism (belief in more than one god]
and modalism (belief that the one God merely changes modes of expression).
Rejected by the Eastern Orthodox church.

CO air bith leis an ill a bhi air a shbhaladh : Whoever wills to be in a state of
roimh gach ni tha e feumail gun cum e gu
salvation, before all things it is necessary
daingean an Creidimh Coitchionn. * Mur
that he hold the catholic faith, which
gleidh gach neach an Creidimh so gu hexcept everyone shall have kept whole
iomlan agus gun truailleadh : gun teagamh
and undefiled without doubt he will
thid e mugha gu sorruidh. Agus is e so an perish eternally. Now the catholic faith is
Creidimh Coitchionn*: gun toir sinn aoradh that we worship One God in Trinity and
do dh aon Dia ann an Trionaid, agus Trionaid Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the
ann an Aonachd; Gun a bhi coimhPersons nor dividing the substance. For
mheasgadh nam pearsannan ; no roinn an
there is one Person of the Father, another
naduir. Oir tha aon phearsa ann de n Athair, of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit.
pearsa eile de n Mhac : agus pearsa eile de n But the Godhead of the Father, of the
Spiorad Naomh. Ach Diadhachd an Athar, a Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is One, the
Mhic, agus an Spioraid Naoimh is aon i uile ; Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such
tha a Ghlir co-iounan, a Mhrachd coas the Father is, such is the Son, and
shorruidh. Mar a tha n t-Athair, mar sin tha such is the Holy Spirit; the Father

am Mac : agus mar sin tha an Spiorad Naomh. uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the
An t-Athair neo-chruthaichte, am Mac neo- Holy Spirit uncreated; the father infinite,
chruthaichte : agus an Spiorad Naomh neothe Son infinite, and the Holy Spirit
chruthaiclite. An t-Athair neo-chrochnach,
infinite; the Father eternal, the Son
am Mac neo-chrochnach : agus an Spiorad
eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And
Naomh neo-chrochnach. An t-Athair
yet not three eternals but one eternal, as
sorruidh, am Mac sorruidh : agus an Spiorad also not three infinites, nor three
Naomh sorruidh. Agus gidheadh cha tri
uncreated, but one uncreated, and one
sorruidh iad : ach aon sorruidh. Mar an
infinite. So, likewise, the Father is
ceudna cha-n eil tri neo-chrochnach, no tri almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy
neo-chruthaichte ann : ach aon
Spirit almighty; and yet not three
neochruthaichte, agus aon neo-chrochnach. almighties but one almighty. So the
Father is God, the Son God, and the
Mar an ceudna tha an t-Athair Uilechumhachdach, am Mac Uile-chumhachdach : Holy Spirit God; and yet not three Gods
agus an Spiorad Naomh Uile-chumhachdach. but one God. So the Father is Lord, the
Agus gidheadh cha tri Uile-chumhachdach iad Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; and
: ach aon Uile-chumhachdach. Mar so is Dia yet not three Lords but one Lord. For
an t-Athair, is Dia am Mac : agus is Dia an
like as we are compelled by Christian
Spiorad Naomh. Agus gidheadh cha tri De truth to acknowledge every Person by
iad : ach aon Dia. Mar an ceudna is Tighearn Himself to be both God and Lord; so are
an t-Athair, is Tighearn am Mac : agus is
we forbidden by the catholic religion to
Tighearn an Spiorad Naomh; Agus gidheadh say, there be three Gods or three Lords.
cha tri Tighearnan iad : ach aon Tighearn.
The Father is made of none, neither
Oir amhuil mar a tha sinn air ar
created nor begotten. The Son is of the
coimhigneachadh leis an fhrinn Chriosdail : Father alone, nod made nor created but
a dh aideachadh gur Dia agus Tighearn gach begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father
pearsa fa leth; Mar sin tha e air a thoirmeasg and the Son, not made nor created nor
dhuinn leis a Chreidimh Choitchionn : a
begotten but proceeding. So there is one
rdh, Gu bheil tri De, no tri Tighearnan ann. Father not three Fathers, one Son not
Cha-n eil an t-Athair deanta le neach air bith three Sons, and Holy Spirit not three
: no cruthaichte, no ginte. Tha am Mac on
Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity there is
Athair a mhin : cha n ann deanta, no
nothing before or after, nothing greater
cruthaichte, ach ginte. Tha an Spiorad Naomh or less, but the whole three Persons are
on Athair agus on Mhac : cha-n ann deanta, coeternal together and coequal. So that in
no cruthaichte, no ginte, ach a teachd. Mar all things, as is aforesaid, the trinity in
sin tha aon Athair ann, ni h-e tri Aithrichean; Unity and the Unity in Trinity is to be
worshipped. He therefore who wills to be
aon Mhac, ni h-e tri Mic : aon Spiorad
Naomh, ni h-e tri Spioraid Naomha. Agus
in a state of salvation, let him think thus
anns an Tnionaid so cha-n eil aon roimh, no of the Trinity. But it is necessary to
an digh a chile : cha-n eil aon na s m, no eternal salvation that he also believe
faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord
na s lugha na chile. Ach tha na tri
pearsannan uile co-shorruidh le chile : agus Jesus Christ. The right faith therefore is
co-ionnan. Mar sin anns na h-uile nithibh, mar that we believe and confess that our Lord
a thubhairteadh roimhe : is cir aoradh a
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and
thoirt do n Aonachd ann an Trionaid, agus do Man. He is God of the substance of the
n Trionaid ann an Aonachd. Uime sin an ti, Father begotten before the worlds, and
leis an ill a bhi air a shbhaladh : feumaidh e He is man of the substance of His mother
smuainteachadh mar so air an Trionaid. Os
born in the world; perfect God, perfect
barr, tha e feumail chum slinte shorruidh : man subsisting of a reasoning soul and
gun creideadh e gu ceart mar an ceudna ann human flesh; equal to the Father as

an Teachd ar Tighearna Iosa Criosd s an

fheil. Oir is e an Creidimh ceart, gun creid
agus gun aidich sinn : gur Dia, agus Duine,
an Tighearn Iosa Criosd, Mac Dh; Dia de
nadur an Athar, ginte roimh na saoghail : agus
Duine de nadur a Mhathar, a rugadh auns an
t-saoghal; Dia iomlan, agus Duine iomlan :
aig am bheii anam reusanta agus feil
dhaoine; Co-ionnan ris an Athair, a thaobh a
Dhiadhachd : agus is sle na n t-Athair, a
thaobh a Dhaonnachd. An ti ged is Dia, agus
is Duine e : gidheadh cha d Chriosd, ach a haon e: Is aon e; cia-n ann le tionndadh na
Diadhachd gu feil : ach le gabhail na
Daonnachd gu Dia; Is aon e gu h-iomlan; chan ann le coimhmheasgadh naduir : ach le
aonachd pearsa. Oir mar is aon duine an tanam reusanta agus an fheil : mar sin an ti is
e Dia agus Duine, is aon Chriosd e. A dh
fhuiling air son an sbhalaidh : a chaidh sos
do dh ifrinn, a dh irich a rs air an treas l o
na mairbh. Chaidh e suas gu namh, tha e n a
shuidhe air deas limh an Athar, Dia Uilechumhachdach : as an sin thig e thoirt breith
air na bethaibh agus air na mairbh. Aig a
theachd, inidh na h-uile dhaoine rs le n
corpaibh : agus bheir iad cunntas air son an
oibre fin. Agus iadsan a rinn maith, thid iad
gu beatha shorruidh: agus iadsan a rinn olc
gu teine sorruidh. S e so an Creidimh
Coitchionn : mur a creid duine e gu
frinneach, cha n-urrainn da bhi air a
shbhaladh. Glir do n Athair, agus do n
Mhac : agus do n Spiorad Naomh; Mar a bha
air ts, a tha nis, agus a bhitheas gu brth :
saoghal gun chroch. Amen.

touching His Godhead, inferior to the

Father as touching His Manhood. Who
although He be God and Man yet He is
not two but one Christ; one however not
by conversion of the GodHead in the
flesh, but by taking of the Manhood in
God; one altogether not by confusion of
substance but by unity of Person. For as
the reasoning soul and flesh is one man,
so God and Man is one Christ. Who
suffered for our salvation, descended
into hell, rose again from the dead,
ascended into heaven, sits at the right
hand of the Father, from whence He
shall come to judge the living and the
dead. At whose coming all men shall rise
again with their bodies and shall give
account for their own works. And they
that have done good shall go into life
eternal, and they who indeed have done
evil into eternal fire. This is the catholic
faith, which except a man shall have
believed faithfully and firmly he cannot
be in a state of salvation.