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← Sermon on Law and Grace (Slovo o Zakone i Blagodati)/Book 1 · Слово о Законе и Благодати
Chapter 12IlarionZakon.1.12

Исповѣдание вѣры

The Nicene Creed

The author recites the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, affirming belief in the Trinity, the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, second coming, the Holy Spirit, the Church, baptism, and the life to come.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father, through 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 was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried; who rose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold;✦ who ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father;✦ and who will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom has no end.✦ And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets. In one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.✦1 I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.✦ I look forward to the resurrection of the dead. and the life of the age to come. Amen.

The Triune God

The author expands on the doctrine of the Trinity, emphasizing the distinct persons and the unity of the Godhead, using theological language about begetting, procession, and the thrice-holy hymn.

I believe in one God, glorified in the Trinity: the Father unbegotten, without beginning, infinite; the Son begotten, co-eternal without beginning and infinite; the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and revealed in the Son, likewise co-eternal without beginning and equal to the Father and the Son—a consubstantial Trinity, distinguished in persons, a Trinity in names, yet one God.23 I do not confuse the distinction, nor do I divide the unity; they are joined without mixture and distinguished without separation.4 For He is called Father because He is unbegotten; the Son, because of begetting; and the Holy Spirit, because of procession—yet without departing.5 The Father does not become the Son, nor the Son the Father, nor the Holy Spirit the Son; rather, each has His own unmixed being, except for the Godhead.6 For there is one Godhead in the Trinity, one lordship, one kingdom, a common thrice-holy hymn from the cherubim, common worship from angels and human beings, one glory and thanksgiving—from the whole world.

The Incarnation and Redemption

The author confesses the incarnation of the Son, his birth from the Virgin, his true humanity and divinity, his suffering, descent into Hades, resurrection, and ascension, emphasizing the salvation of humanity.

I know only one God, and I believe in Him—that God in whose name I was baptized: in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And just as I received it from the writings of the holy fathers, so I was taught. And I believe and confess that the Son, by the Father's good will and by the will of the Holy Spirit, came down to earth to save the human race, without leaving heaven or the Father; and by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit He entered the womb of the Virgin Mary and was conceived, as only He knows, and was born without a man's seed, keeping His mother a virgin—as befits God—and in the birth, and before the birth, and after the birth, He did not lay aside His Sonship.7 In heaven He had no mother, and on earth He had no father; He was nursed as a human, raised, and became truly human—not as a phantom, but truly in our flesh.8 Fully God and fully man, existing in two natures and two wills: without setting aside who He was, He took on what He was not.9 He suffered in the flesh as a man for my sake, while remaining free from suffering in His divinity as God.✦10 The Immortal One died to bring me, who was dead, to life; He descended into Hades to raise and deify my forefather Adam, and to bind the devil.✦✦11 He rose as God; on the third day, He came forth from the dead as the conquering Christ, my King. After appearing many times to His disciples, He ascended into heaven to the Father—from whom He had never been parted—and sat at His right hand.✦✦✦✦✦

The Last Things and the Councils

The author looks forward to Christ's second coming in glory, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment, and affirms his acceptance of the seven ecumenical councils.

I look for Him to come again from heaven—not in secret, as before, but in the Father's glory with the heavenly hosts.✦✦✦ The dead will rise to meet Him at the archangel's voice; He will judge the living and the dead, and repay each one according to their deeds.✦✦✦ I also believe in the seven Councils of the orthodox holy fathers: whom they cast out, I too cast out; whom they anathematized, I too anathematize; and what they handed down to us in writing, I accept.

Devotion to the Saints and the Church

The author expresses veneration for the Mother of God, icons of Christ and the saints, relics, and the catholic and apostolic Church, describing his devotional practices.

I call the holy and most glorious Virgin Mary the Mother of God, and I honor her and bow down before her in faith. And on her holy icon I see my Lord as an infant on her lap, and I rejoice; I see Him crucified, and I am glad; gazing on Him risen and ascending into heaven, I lift my hands and bow down before Him.12 In the same way, when I see the holy icons of His saints, I glorify the One who saved them.13 I kiss their relics with love and faith, proclaim their miracles, and receive healings from them. I take refuge in the catholic and apostolic Church: with faith I enter, with faith I pray, with faith I go out.

Personal Witness and Doxology

The author declares his readiness to die for his confession, gives glory to God for His providence, and asks for the prayers of the teachers and lords of Rus'.

This is what I believe, and I am not ashamed of it; I confess it before the nations, and for the sake of that confession, I will even lay down my life. Glory to God for everything—who has ordered things for me beyond my own strength! And pray for me, honorable teachers and lords of the land of Rus'!14 Amen!

Read the original Church Slavonic

Вѣрую въ единого Бога Отца вседръжителя, творца небу и земли, и видимыимъ, и невидимыимъ.

И въ единого Господа Исуса Христа, Сына Божия, единочадааго, от Отца рожденааго прѣжде всѣх вѣкъ, Свѣта от Свѣта, Бога истинна от Бога истинна, рождена, а не сътворена, единосущна Отцу, имже вся быша;

насъ ради человѣкъ, и за наше спасение съшедшааго съ небесъ, и въплощьшаагося от Духа Свята и Марии Дѣвицѣ, въчеловѣчьшася;

и распята за ны при Поньтѣстѣмь Пилатѣ, страстьна и погребена;

въскресъшааго въ третии день по Писаниемь;

въшедшааго на небеса, и сѣдяща одесную Отца;

и пакы грядуща съ славою судити живыимъ и мертвыимъ, егоже царствию нѣсть конца.

И въ Духа Святааго, Господа, и животворящааго, исходящааго отъ Отца, иже съ Отцемь и съ Сыномъ съпокланяемь и съславимъ, глаглавшаго пророкы.

Въ едину святую, съборную и апостольскую церковь.

Исповѣдаю едино крещение въ оставление грѣховъ;

чаю въскрѣшениа мертвыимъ

и жизни будущааго вѣка. Аминь.

Вѣрую въ единого Бога, славимаго въ Троици: Отца нерождена, безначала, бесконечна, Сына же рождена, събезначална же и бесконечна, Духа Свята, исходяща изъ Отца и въ Сынѣ являющася, събезначальна же такожде и равна Отцу и Сыну, — Троицу единосущну, лици же раздѣляющуся, Троицу имены, единаго же Бога.

Не съливаю раздѣлениа, ни съединениа раздѣляю, съвокупляются несмѣсно и разделяются нераздѣлнѣ. Отець бо нарицается, понеже не рожденъ; Сынъ же — рождениа ради; Духъ же Святыи — исхода ради, нъ неотходенъ. Не бываеть же Отець Сынъ, ни Сынъ Отець, ни Духъ Святыи Сынъ, нъ комуждо свое несмѣсно суще развѣ Божества. Едино бо есть Божество въ Троици, едино господьство, едино царство, обще трисвятое от херувимъ, обещь поклонъ от ангелъ и человѣкъ, едина слава и благодарение — от всего мира.

Того единого Бога вѣдѣ и тому вѣрую, въ негоже имя и крестихъся: въ имя Отца и Сына и Святааго Духа. И ако же приахъ от писаниа святыихъ отець, тако научихся!

И вѣрую и исповѣдаю, яко Сынъ, благоволениемь Отчемь и Святааго Духа хотѣниемь, съниде на землю спасти родъ человѣчьскъ, небесъ и Отца не отлучися, и, Святааго Духа осѣнениемь, въселися въ утробу Дѣвицѣ Марии и зачатъся, якоже самъ единъ вѣсть, и родися бе-сѣмене мужеска, матерь дѣвицею съхрань, якоже и лѣпо Богу, и въ рожьство, и преже рожьства, и по рожьствѣ, Сыновьства не отложь.

На небеси бо безматеренъ, на земли же безъ отца, въздоися, яко человѣкъ, и воспитася, и бысть человѣкъ истиненъ, не привидѣниемь, нъ истинно въ нашей плоти. Исполнь Богъ, исполнь человѣкъ въ двѣ естьствѣ и хотѣнии воли, еже бѣ, не отложивъ, и еже не бѣ, възя.

Пострада плотию, яко человѣкъ, мене ради и Божествомъ бе-страсти, яко Богъ, прѣбы. Умрѣ бесьмертныи, да мене мертва оживить; съниде къ аду, да прадѣда моего Адама въставить и обожить, и диавола съвяжеть. Въста, яко Богъ, изиде изъ мертвыихъ, яко побѣдитель Христос, царь мой, тридневно, и явлеся многъкраты ученикомъ своимъ, възиде на небеса къ Отцю, егоже не отлучилъся бѣ, и сѣде одесную его.

Чаю же его пакы придуща съ небесе, нъ не отай, яко же прѣжде, нъ въ славѣ Отьчи съ небесныими вои. Ему же мертвии гласомъ архангельскымъ противу изидуть; и тъ имат судити живыим и мертвыим, и въздати комуждо по дѣломъ.

Вѣрую же и въ 7 Съборъ правовѣрныихъ святыихъ отець, и егоже извергоша, и азъ измѣтаю, и егоже прокляша, и азъ проклинаю; и яже писаниемь прѣдаша намъ, приимаю.

Святую и преславную Дѣвицу Марию Богородицу нарицаю чьту же и съ вѣрою покланяюся ей. И на святѣй иконѣ еи Господа моего, яко младеньца на лонѣ еи зрю — и веселюся, распята и́ вижду — и радуюся, въскресъша его и на небеса идуща съмотря — въздѣю руцѣ и покланяюся ему. Тако же и угодникъ его святыихъ иконы видѣвъ, славлю Спасъшааго ихъ. Мощи ихъ съ любовию и вѣрою цѣлую и чюдеса ихъ проповѣдаю, и ицѣления от нихъ приимаю.

Къ кафоликии и апостольстѣи Церкви притѣкаю, съ вѣрою въхожду, съ вѣрою молюся, съ вѣрою исхожду.

Тако вѣрую и не постыжюся; и прѣдъ народы исповѣдаю, и исповѣданиа ради и душю свою положю.

Слава же Богу о всемь, строящему о мнѣ выше силы моеа! И молите о мнѣ, честнѣи учителе и владыкы Рускы земля! Аминь!

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩John.1.14;Luke.1.35;Phil.2.6-Phil.2.8 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Luke.1.35 — And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the one to be born will be called Son of God." Phil.2.6 — who, existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to exploit, Phil.2.7 — but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, and appearing as a human being. Phil.2.8 — And he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
  2. ↩1Cor.15.4 — and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
  3. ↩Mark.16.19;Acts.1.9-Acts.1.11;Heb.1.3;Ps.110.1 — So then, after the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. Acts.1.9 — And after he said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. Acts.1.10 — And as they were looking intently into the sky as he was going, behold, two men stood beside them in white garments. Acts.1.11 — Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way you saw him go into heaven. Heb.1.3 — He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's own being, and he upholds all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Ps.110.1 — The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool."
  4. ↩Luke.1.33 — And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
  5. ↩Eph.4.4-Eph.4.5;Matt.16.18;Acts.2.42 — There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope of your calling. Eph.4.5 — one Lord, one faith, one baptism Matt.16.18 — And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Acts.2.42 — And they devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles, and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.
  6. ↩Acts.2.38;Eph.4.5 — Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ Eph.4.5 — one Lord, one faith, one baptism
  7. ↩1Pet.3.18 — For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God — put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit.
  8. ↩1Pet.3.19;Eph.4.9 — in which also he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, Eph.4.9 — Now "he ascended"—what does it mean except that he also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
  9. ↩Rev.20.2 — And he seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
  10. ↩1Cor.15.4 — and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
  11. ↩Acts.1.3;1Cor.15.5-1Cor.15.7 — To these he also presented himself alive after his suffering, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about the kingdom of God. 1Cor.15.5 — and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 1Cor.15.6 — After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. 1Cor.15.7 — Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
  12. ↩Acts.1.9-Acts.1.11 — And after he said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. Acts.1.10 — And as they were looking intently into the sky as he was going, behold, two men stood beside them in white garments. Acts.1.11 — Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way you saw him go into heaven.
  13. ↩Ps.110.1;Heb.1.3 — The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool." Heb.1.3 — He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's own being, and he upholds all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
  14. ↩John.10.30 — I and the Father are one.
  15. ↩Acts.1.11 — Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way you saw him go into heaven.
  16. ↩Matt.24.30 — And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
  17. ↩Matt.25.31;2Thess.1.7 — When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 2Thess.1.7 — and to give relief with us to you who are being afflicted, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with the angels of his power
  18. ↩1Thess.4.16;John.5.28-John.5.29 — For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. John.5.28 — Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice John.5.29 — and they will come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.
  19. ↩2Tim.4.1;Acts.10.42 — I charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is about to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: Acts.10.42 — And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.
  20. ↩Rom.2.6;Matt.16.27;Rev.22.12 — who will render to each one according to that person's works Matt.16.27 — For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will repay each one according to his deeds. Rev.22.12 — Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to their work.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩съборную is the standard Church Slavonic rendering of Greek καθολικήν; rendered 'catholic' in the familiar creedal sense (the one universal Church), not as 'Roman Catholic'.
  2. 2 ↩«въ Сынѣ являющася» is rendered “revealed in the Son” (not “proceeding from the Son”); the clause marks manifestation, not a Western filioque procession.
  3. 3 ↩«лици» is the technical term for the divine Persons (hypostases); «раздѣляющуся» marks real personal distinction without division of the one Godhead.
  4. 4 ↩Classic Trinitarian antinomy: distinction of Persons without confusion of natures/identities, and unity of Godhead without division. 'несмѣсно' = without mixture/confusion; 'нераздѣлнѣ' = inseparably / without separation.
  5. 5 ↩'неотходенъ' (undeparting / not departing): the Spirit proceeds (исходъ) but does not leave or separate from the Godhead. Rendered as 'without departing' to keep both procession and inseparability.
  6. 6 ↩'развѣ Божества' = except for / apart from the Godhead: personal properties remain unmixed, while divinity is the shared exception—what is common to all three.
  7. 7 ↩Сыновьство is rendered Sonship (the eternal filial status of the Son), not a generic 'being a son,' to keep the confession's christological force.
  8. 8 ↩привидѣниемь rejects a mere seeming or docetic incarnation: not by appearance/phantom, but truly in our flesh.
  9. 9 ↩хотѣнии воли is rendered as two wills (dyothelite confession) with two natures; the phrase is dense and confessionally loaded.
  10. 10 ↩бе-страсти: classic two-nature Christology—impassible as God while suffering in the flesh as man. Rendered 'free from suffering' for modern readability; 'impassible' is the technical alternative.
  11. 11 ↩обожить: theosis/deification—kept as 'deify' to preserve the strong Eastern Christian claim rather than softening to mere 'restore' or 'glorify'.
  12. 12 ↩The source uses parallel vision clauses (infant / crucified / risen-and-ascending) tied to icon contemplation; the dashes mark those successive contemplations, not separate sentences.
  13. 13 ↩угодникъ here means saints as those well-pleasing to God, not merely generic 'servants'.
  14. 14 ↩владыкы can mean lords/rulers or, in ecclesiastical usage, hierarchs/bishops; here it is the honorific address to the teaching and governing clergy of Rus'.

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