The first part of the seven articles of the Creed were ratified at the First Ecumenical Council.
Held in Nicea, Asia Minor in 325. Under Emperor Constantine the Great. 318 Bishops were present.
The text reads as follows:
We
believe in one God. The Father Almighty. Maker of heaven and earth, and
of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, the only begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages.
Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten not made; of one essence
with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for
our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy
Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us
under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day
He rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again with
glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no
end.
The Second Ecumenical Council
Held in Constantinople in 381. Under Emperor Theodosius the Great. 150 Bishops were present.
The holy fathers of the Council added five articles to the Creed. They read as follows:
And
(We believe) in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who
proceeds from the Father: who with the Father and the Son together is
worshipped and glorified: who spoke by the prophets. In one Holy,
Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the
remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the
life of the world to come. Amen.
(The above is from http://www.goarch.org)
Here is a short history of the Ecumenical Councils of the the Orthodox Church.
- I believe in
(Romans 10: 8-10; 1 John 4: 15)
- ONE God,
(Deuteronomy 6: 4, Ephesians 4: 6)
- Father
(Matthew 6: 9)
- Almighty,
(Exodus 6: 3)
- Maker of Heaven and Earth,
(Genesis 1: 1)
- and of all things visible and invisible.
(Colossians 1: 15-16)
- And in ONE Lord Jesus Christ,
(Acts 11: 17)
- Son of God,
(Matthew 14: 33; 16: 16)
- Only-Begotten,
(John 1: 18; 3: 16)
- Begotten of the Father before all ages.
(John 1: 2)
- Light of Light;
(Psalm 27: 1; John 8: 12, Matthew 17: 2,5)
- True God of True God;
(John 17: 1-5)
- Begotten, not made;
(John 1: 18)
- of one essence with the Father
(John 10: 30)
- by whom all things were made;
(Hebrews 1: 1-2)
- Who for us men and for our salvation
(1 Timothy 2: 4-5)
- came down from heaven,
(John 6: 33,35)
- and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
(Luke 1: 35)
- and became man.
(John 1: 14)
- And He was crucified for us
(Mark 15: 25; 1 Corinthians 15: 3)
- under Pontius Pilate,
(John 19: 6)
- suffered,
(Mark 8: 31)
- and was buried.
(Luke 23: 53; 1 Corinthians 15: 4)
- And on the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures,
(Luke 24: 1; 1 Corinthians 15: 4)
- and ascended into heaven,
(Luke 24: 51; Acts 1: 10)
- and sits at the right hand of the Father;
(Mark 16: 19; Acts 7: 55)
- and He shall come again with glory
(Matthew 24: 27)
- to judge both the living and the dead;
(Acts 10: 42; 2 Timothy 4: 1)
- Whose Kingdom shall have no end.
(2 Peter 1: 11)
- And in the Holy Spirit,
(John 14: 26)
- the Lord,
(Acts 5: 3-4)
- the Giver of Life,
(Genesis 1: 2)
- Who proceeds from the Father;
(John 15: 26)
- Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified;
(Matthew 3: 16-17)
- Who spoke through the prophets.
(1 Samuel 19: 20; Ezekiel 11: 5,13)
- In one,
(Matthew 16: 18)
- holy,
(1 Peter 2: 5,9)
- catholic,
(Mark 16: 15)
- and apostolic Church.
(Acts 2: 42; Ephesians 2: 19-22)
- I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
(Ephesians 4: 5)
- I look for the resurrection of the dead,
(John 11: 24; 1 Corinthians 15: 12-49; Hebrews 6: 2; Revelation 20: 5)
- and the life in the age to come.
(Mark 10: 29-30)
- AMEN.
(Psalm 106: 48)