Why is the Apostles' Creed used in the Eritrean and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08

It is important to clarify the distinction between the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed and the text known in the West as the "Apostles' Creed."

In the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches, which are our sister Oriental Orthodox churches, the primary and authoritative creed used in the Divine Liturgy (ⲁⲛⲁⲫⲟⲣⲁ) is the same Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed that we confess in the Coptic Orthodox Church. This is the bedrock of our shared Miaphysite faith, confirming that Christ is one Nature out of two, without mingling, confusion, or alteration.

However, confusion often arises because the Ethiopian and Eritrean traditions possess a vast collection of liturgical texts and "Amues" (faith summaries). Specifically, they have a short baptismal creed that is sometimes referred to locally as "The Creed of the Apostles."

Here is the context for why this exists in their tradition:

1. The Ethiopian "Apostles' Creed" vs. The Western Creed

The version found in the Ethiopian Mashafa Qeddase (Missal) is not identical to the Western "Apostles' Creed" used by Roman Catholics or Protestants. While the Western version was developed in Rome and Gaul, the Ethiopian version is an ancient local formulation used specifically during the baptismal rite and in certain parts of their daily office. It is a shorter summary of faith that focuses on the basic tenets of the Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection.

2. Liturgical Diversity

The Ethiopian and Eritrean Churches are known for their liturgical richness, possessing 14 or more different Anaphoras (liturgies), whereas the Coptic Church primarily uses three (ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲟⲥ, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲅⲣⲏⲅⲟⲣⲓⲟⲥ, and ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ). Within this liturgical diversity, they have preserved ancient instructional creeds used for teaching converts (catechumens) before baptism.

3. The Authority of Nicaea

Despite the presence of this shorter "Apostles' Creed" in their books, it never replaces the Nicene Creed. For all Oriental Orthodox—Coptic, Syrian, Armenian, Indian, Ethiopian, and Eritrean—the only creed that carries ecumenical authority is the one formulated at Nicaea and Constantinople.

As mentioned in historical records of non-Chalcedonian ecumenicity, our churches lived in harmony in the Desert of Scetis (Ϣⲓⲏⲧ) for centuries. While local customs or secondary prayers may differ slightly, our dogmatic foundation regarding the ⲑⲉⲟⲧⲟⲕⲟⲥ (Mother of God) and the nature of the Word is identical.

In summary, they use a version of it as a secondary, traditional baptismal confession, but like us, they rely on the Nicene Creed as the absolute standard of the Orthodox faith to guard against heretics and to rightly define the divinity of ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ ⲡⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ.