Symbol or Confession

The so-called “Athanasian Creed” does not belong to St. Athanasius the Great. It arose on Latin soil and since the 9th century enjoyed great authority throughout the West. It became known to the East quite late, around the 12th century. Regarding the origin of this symbol, science has not yet achieved indisputable results. Its author is called Vincent of Lyrinsky, Honoratus of Arles, Caesarea of ​​Arles, Ambrose of Milan. Its origin was proven in Spain at the end of the 4th or beginning of the 5th century. in the fight against Priscillianism. *The name in Latin is Quicumque. See also: Creed of Athanasius of Alexandria (Athanasiev's Creed) If anyone wants to be saved, he must first of all maintain the universal [Catholic] Faith, which if anyone does not keep whole and immaculate, without any doubt, he will perish forever. This Catholic faith is: that we worship one God in the Trinity, and the Trinity in unity, neither merging the hypostases [of persons], nor dividing the being. There is another hypostasis of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit: but the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one is the Divinity, equal glory, co-essential majesty. As is the Father, such is the Son, such is the Holy Spirit. The Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, and the Holy Spirit is uncreated. The Father is incomprehensible, the Son is incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit is incomprehensible. The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, and the Holy Spirit is eternal: however, not three are eternal, but one is eternal; neither are three uncreated, nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible. Like this: the Father Almighty, the Son Almighty, the Almighty and the Holy Spirit: however, not three Almighty, but one Almighty. Thus: God the Father, God the Son, God and the Holy Spirit: however, not three Gods, but one God. Equal: Lord Father, Lord Son, Lord and Holy Spirit: however, there are not three Lords, but one Lord. For we are compelled by Christian truth to confess each hypostasis, God and Lord, in a special way: so Catholic piety forbids us to speak of three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is not created from anyone, nor created, nor begotten below. The Son is from the Father Himself, not created nor created, but begotten. The Holy Spirit is not created from the Father, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeds. There is one Father, [and] not three fathers, one Son, [and] not three sons, one Holy Spirit, [and] not three holy spirits. And in this Holy Trinity there is no first or last, no greater or lesser: but three whole Hypostases, co-essential and equal. So in everything, as stated above, the Trinity is in Unity, and the Unity in Trinity is revered. Anyone who wants to be saved, let him philosophize about the Holy Trinity. But you need to eat for eternal salvation, and even the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ is known to believe. There is a right faith, let us believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man: God was born from the being of the Father before the ages, and man is from the being of the mother, born in time. Perfect God and perfect man, consisting of a verbal soul and human flesh. Equal to the Father in Divinity, less than the Father in humanity. Who, although God is and man, is not two, but one is Christ: one not by the transformation of the Divine into flesh, but by the perception of humanity into the Divine, one in every way, not by the fusion of natures, but by the unity of the Hypostasis. Just as there is one verbal soul and one flesh, man: so both God and one man is Christ, who suffered for our salvation for our sake, and who descended into hell, and on the third day rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God and the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead, whose coming all men will be resurrected with their bodies and will give an account of their deeds: and those who have done good will go to eternal life, [and] evil into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith, which if anyone does not believe correctly and truly, it will not be possible to be saved. Amen. You might be interested in: