Fr. Vivek Lionel Basu –
As the Church celebrates the Jubilee Year 2025, we commemorate an extraordinary milestone: 1,700 years since the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.), where bishops from across the Christian world gathered to affirm the core truths of our faith in what became known as the Nicene Creed. This is not a relic of theological antiquity; it is a vibrant declaration of belief that Catholics and many Christian denominations continue to profess every Sunday. The Creed echoes through centuries, uniting believers in one faith, across diverse cultures and continents. This moment in history calls us not merely to remember, but to rediscover the meaning and power of the Creed to let it shape our hearts, communities, and witness to the world.
The world in 325 A.D.: Why the Council was needed?
The early fourth century was a turning point for Christianity. The Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., issued by Emperor Constantine, ended centuries of persecution and legalized the Christian faith in the Roman Empire. Yet peace outside the Church soon gave way to doctrinal confusion within. A priest from Alexandria, Arius, began teaching that Jesus Christ was not truly divine, asserting that “there was a time when the Son was not.” According to Arius, Christ was created by God and thus had a beginning denying His eternal divinity. This teaching, was known as Arianism, which rapidly spread and caused deep divisions in the Church.
To address this crisis, Emperor Constantine convened the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, (modern-day İznik) is a historic city located in northwestern Turkey, in the province of Bursa. It lies near the eastern shore of Lake İznik, about 90 kilometres southeast of Istanbul), bringing together over 300 bishops. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they prayed, debated, and discerned to protect the apostolic faith handed down from the time of Christ and the apostles.
What the Council of Nicaea proclaimed and declared?
The Council resolutely condemned Arianism and produced a bold and unifying profession of faith the Nicene Creed. Among its key affirmations:
- Jesus is “begotten, not made” – emphasizing that He is not a creature, but fully divine.
- He is “consubstantial with the Father” (homoousios in Greek) – meaning, He shares the same divine essence as God the Father.
- Christ is eternal God – not a subordinate or lesser being.
The Council also addressed other issues, including setting a unified date for Easter, promoting liturgical and ecclesial unity. Though slightly expanded at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D., the Nicene Creed remains unchanged in its essential affirmations. To this day, it remains the common confession of faith among Catholics and many other Christian denominations.
The Church’s living witness Today
The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms the importance of the Nicene Creed:
“The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed draws its great authority from the fact that it stems from the first two ecumenical councils (…) It remains common to all the great Churches of both East and West.” (CCC, n.195)
“To say the Credo with faith is to enter into communion with God (…) and also with the whole Church.” (CCC, n.197)
The Creed is not a formula to be rushed through on Sundays but it is the Church’s heartbeat, uniting the past and the present, the East and the West, the individual believer and the universal Church. The 4th-century bishop and Doctor of the Church, St. Ambrose of Milan, beautifully described the Creed as: “The spiritual seal, the meditation of our hearts, and our ever-present guardian (…) the treasure of our soul.” So, when we proclaim the Creed, we join a communion of saints, martyrs, and faithful across the ages
The Creed: A Symphony of Scripture
Every line of the Nicene Creed is deeply rooted in Sacred Scripture. It is not a human invention, but a summary of the Gospel, shaped by divine revelation:
- “One God, the Father Almighty…” – Deut 6:4
- “Begotten, not made…” – Jn 1:1–14
- “For our salvation… He came down from heaven” – Jn 3:16
- “Crucified under Pontius Pilate…” – Mk 15:15
- “Rose again on the third day…” – 1 Cor 15:4
- “We believe in the Holy Spirit…” – Jn 14:26; Acts 2
- “The resurrection of the dead…” – 1 Thes 4:16–17
In essence, the Creed is the Word of God condensed into a confession of faith a compact expression of what we believe, rooted in the eternal truths of Scripture.
- Living the Creed today
In today’s world, the Nicene Creed remains a powerful and practical guide for Christian life. It is more than a weekly recitation it is a commitment to:
- Trust in God the Father, our Creator and Sustainer.
- Follow Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, who redeems and saves.
- Rely on the Holy Spirit, who animates and sanctifies the Church.
- Belong to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
- Live in hope of resurrection and Eternal life.
As the Catechism teaches: “Believing in God affects the whole of our life. It means coming to know God’s greatness and majesty (…) and trusting in Him in every circumstance.” (CCC, nn. 222–227) In a world marked by confusion, relativism, and secularism, the Creed offers clarity, identity, and conviction.
1700 years later: A Moment for Renewal
This 1700th anniversary is not just a historical commemoration but it is a call to spiritual renewal. We are invited to:
- Recommit ourselves to the faith we profess.
- Deepen our understanding of the Creed through catechesis, study, and prayer.
- Help young people, children, and catechumens know, love, and live the Creed.
- Foster unity within our parishes and families by returning to the core of our Christian identity.
This is a providential opportunity to revitalize our witness to Christ as individuals, communities, and as a Church.
For 1,700 years, the Nicene Creed has served as a powerful bond of unity and truth among Christians. It has been professed by martyrs in persecution, monks in solitude, missionaries in distant lands, and countless faithful at the holy altar each Sunday. When we say “I believe…”, we echo the voice of the early Church and join the great cloud of witnesses across time and space. St. Paul urges us: “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly(…) And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Col 3:16–17)
May this 1700th Anniversary of the Nicene Creed rekindle in us the joy of believing and the courage to live and proclaim the truth of Christ in our world with love, conviction, and hope.
Fr. Vivek Lionel Basu is Secretary, Commission for Theology & Doctrine, Archdiocese of Bangalore