Divine Liturgy
What is the Creed, and why does everyone say it together?
One Faith Spoken Aloud
The Creed is the Church's shared confession of faith. It proclaims faith in the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, the Cross, the Resurrection, the Church, baptism, and the life to come. In the Liturgy, everyone says it together because the Eucharist is communion in one faith.
One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all.
Why It Comes Before The Eucharistic Prayers
The Creed is said after the readings and before the Eucharistic offering. The Church hears the Word of God, confesses the apostolic faith, and then continues toward the altar
What To Know About The Creed
If you are not ready to say the Creed as your own confession, you may listen respectfully. Over time, the Creed becomes a map of what the Church believes about God, salvation, and the life of the world to come.
- Coptic Rites (3): Liturgy of the Word, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Teaching slides on the Pauline, Catholic Epistle, Praxis, Synaxarium, Gospel litany, Creed, and related rites.
- The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, CopticChurch.net. Service text and introduction for the most commonly used Coptic Divine Liturgy.
- The Holy Trinity, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Catechetical lecture on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
- Where Does the Trinity Doctrine Come From?, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States Q&A. Pastoral answer on biblical and historical grounding for the doctrine of the Trinity.
Creed: The Church's shared confession of faith, proclaimed in the Liturgy before the Eucharistic prayer as the faithful stand together in apostolic belief.
Confession: The sacrament of repentance in which a person confesses sins before God in the presence of the priest and receives absolution and guidance.
Holy Trinity: The one God confessed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one essence and three Persons, worshiped and glorified together.
Incarnation: The mystery that the eternal Word of God truly became man for our salvation while remaining fully divine.
Baptism: The sacrament of new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, joining a person to Christ's death and resurrection and to the life of the Church.
Eucharist: A Greek word meaning thanksgiving. In Orthodox worship it names the sacrament in which bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ.
Holy Communion: The faithful receiving the true Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, after baptismal life, repentance, confession, fasting, reconciliation, and pastoral preparation.
Altar: The holy table in the sanctuary where the Eucharistic gifts are offered and consecrated, treated with reverence as the center of liturgical worship.