Roman Catholic Church recognizes the Creed without Filioque, Pope says

Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo. Photo: sib-catholic.ru

In a document dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, the Pope declared that the Catholic Church recognizes the Nicene Creed in its original form, as formulated in 325 and 381 – that is, without the Latin addition Filioque (“and from the Son”), which was introduced in the Western Church in later centuries.

In his message, the pontiff notes that Christians are called “to walk together with one accord in the unity of the faith that was proclaimed from the very beginning of the Church,” and he reminds readers that Nicaea gave the world the formula of the fundamental Christian confession that unites all followers of Christ.

The Pope adds: “The Creed’s article concerning the Holy Spirit was formulated at the First Council of Constantinople in 381. Thus, the Creed, which since then has been known as the Nicene–Constantinopolitan Creed, states: ‘We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets.’”

The Pope recalled that “through the Council of Chalcedon (451), the Council of Constantinople was recognized as Ecumenical, and the Nicene–Constantinopolitan Creed was declared universally authoritative.”

“Thus it constituted a bond of unity between East and West. In the sixteenth century, it was also retained by the ecclesial communities that arose from the Reformation. Therefore, the Nicene–Constantinopolitan Creed is the common confession of all Christian traditions,” the Pope writes.

He also adds that “no confession of faith belonging to a particular liturgical tradition may contradict this expression of faith that was taught and professed by the undivided Church.”

“We share the same faith in the one God, the Father of all people. Together we confess the one Lord and true Son of God, Jesus Christ, and the one Holy Spirit, who inspires us and moves us toward full unity and a common witness to the Gospel. Truly, what unites us is far greater than what divides us,” the Pope wrote.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Pope will visit the Phanar on an official trip.

Read also