Questions / The Church and the Pope

Why are there two creeds?

Church teaching

Answered on video by Fr. Mike Schmitz

Video: The Incredible Story of the Nicene Creed (with Bishop James Massa), The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz), published Jun 4, 2025. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

In short: One is the short, ancient baptism creed of Rome; the other came out of the great councils. Same faith, two lengths. CCC 194

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

The Apostles’ Creed is a faithful summary of the apostles’ faith and the ancient baptismal creed of the Church of Rome. CCC 194

The Nicene Creed comes from the first two ecumenical councils, Nicaea and Constantinople, and is common to the great Churches of East and West. CCC 195

Our words

Same faith, two lengths. The short one is great for the Rosary; the long one is what we say at Sunday Mass.

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Sources on this page

How we know · 2 Catechism paragraphs

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 194, 195 (official text on vatican.va).

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