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The Mass · Lesson 5 of 10

The Creed and the Prayer of the Faithful

In the Creed we answer God's Word with the faith of the whole Church, bowing at the Incarnation. In the Prayer of the Faithful we pray for the Church, the world and everyone in need.

This is a summary of Lesson 5 of The Mass, Explained. The full lesson takes about 3 minutes in the Saints Light app.

The Mass at Bolsena, a painting by Raphael
The Mass at Bolsena, Raphael, 1512

What this lesson teaches

  • The Creed is our answer of faith to God's Word, uniting us with the whole Church.
  • The Nicene Creed comes from the Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381).
  • Everyone bows at the words about the Incarnation, and kneels at them on Christmas and the Annunciation.
  • In the Prayer of the Faithful the baptized intercede for the Church, the world, the needy and the local community.

Catechism paragraphs this lesson cites

  • CCC 185
  • CCC 195
  • CCC 1349
  • CCC 2634-2635

CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.

Scripture read in this lesson: Romans 10:9-10; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; Hebrews 7:25.

A sample question from this lesson

Which councils does the Nicene Creed come from?

  1. Trent and Vatican I
  2. Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381)
  3. Ephesus and Chalcedon
  4. Vatican II alone
Show the answer

Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381). The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed comes from the first two ecumenical councils (CCC 195).

The lesson in the app has three questions, each with an explanation.

Words to know

Creed
From the Latin credo, I believe: a summary statement of the Christian faith.
Consubstantial
Of one and the same substance; said of the Son and the Father, who are one God.

More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.

Read the full lesson in the app

"The Creed and the Prayer of the Faithful" is lesson 5 of The Mass, Explained. In Saints Light you get the whole teaching, the Scripture quoted in full, all three questions and a step to live it this week.

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