What is "nicene creed"

Nicene \Ni"cene\, a. [L. Nicaenus, fr. Nicaea Nice, Gr. ?.] Of or pertaining to Nice, a town of Asia Minor, or to the ecumenical council held there a. d. 325.

Nicene Creed, a summary of Christian faith, composed and adopted by the Council of Nice, against Arianism, a. d. 325, altered and confirmed by the Council of Constantinople, a. d. 381, and by subsequent councils.

Creed \Creed\ (kr[=e]d), n. [OE. credo, crede, AS. creda, fr. L. credo I believe, at the beginning of the Apostles' creed, fr. credere to believe; akin to OIr. cretim I believe, and Skr. [,c]raddadh[=a]mi; [,c]rat trust + dh[=a] to put. See Do, v. t., and cf. Credo, Grant.]

1. A definite summary of what is believed; esp., a summary of the articles of Christian faith; a confession of faith for public use; esp., one which is brief and comprehensive.

   In the Protestant system the creed is not co["o]rdinate with, but always subordinate to, the Bible.
   --Schaff-Herzog Encyc.

2. Any summary of principles or opinions professed or adhered to.

   I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed.
   --Shak.

   Apostles' creed, Athanasian creed, Nicene creed. See under Apostle, Athanasian, Nicene.

The Nicene Creed ( Greek: or , Latin: ) is a profession of faith widely used in Christian liturgy.

It is called Nicene because it was originally adopted in the city of Nicaea (present day Iznik, Turkey) by the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople, and the amended form is referred to as the Nicene or the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed.

The churches of Oriental Orthodoxy and the Assyrian churches use this profession of faith with the verbs in the original plural ("we believe") form. The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church use it with the verbs of believing changed to the singular ("I believe") form. The Anglican Communion and many Protestant denominations also use it, sometimes with the verbs of believing in the plural form but generally in the singular.

The Apostles' Creed is also used in the Latin West, but not in the Eastern liturgies. On Sundays and some other days, one or other of these two creeds is recited in the Roman Rite Mass after the homily. The Nicene Creed is also part of the profession of faith required of those undertaking important functions within the Catholic Church.

In the Byzantine Rite, the Nicene Creed is sung or recited at the Divine Liturgy, immediately preceding the Anaphora (Eucharistic Prayer), and is also recited daily at compline.