Letter 360: Of the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, the invocation of Saints, and their Images. According to the blameless faith of the Christians which we have obtained from God, I confess and agree that I believe in one God the Father Almighty; God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost; I adore and worship one God, the Three. I confess to the œconomy ...
Basil of Caesarea→Unknown|c. 378 AD|basil caesarea
Persecution or exile; Travel & mobility; Slavery or captivity
According to the blameless faith of the Christians which we have received from God, I confess and profess that I believe in one God the Father Almighty; God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. I worship and adore one God, the Three.
I confess the incarnation of the Son in the flesh, and that the holy Mary, who gave birth to Him according to the flesh, was the Mother of God [Theotokos]. I acknowledge the holy apostles, prophets, and martyrs, and I call upon them in prayer to God -- that through them, that is, through their intercession, the merciful God may be gracious to me and that forgiveness may be given for my sins.
For this reason I also honor and reverence the likenesses of their images, inasmuch as these have been handed down from the holy apostles and are not forbidden, but are found in all our churches.
ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA
Of the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, the invocation of Saints, and their Images.
According to the blameless faith of the Christians which we have obtained from God, I confess and agree that I believe in one God the Father Almighty; God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost; I adore and worship one God, the Three. I confess to the œconomy of the Son in the flesh, and that the holy Mary, who gave birth to Him according to the flesh, was Mother of God. I acknowledge also the holy apostles, prophets, and martyrs; and I invoke them to supplication to God, that through them, that is, through their mediation, the merciful God may be propitious to me, and that a ransom may be made and given me for my sins. Wherefore also I honour and kiss the features of their images, inasmuch as they have been handed down from the holy apostles, and are not forbidden, but are in all our churches.
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Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202360.htm>.
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According to the blameless faith of the Christians which we have received from God, I confess and profess that I believe in one God the Father Almighty; God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. I worship and adore one God, the Three.
I confess the incarnation of the Son in the flesh, and that the holy Mary, who gave birth to Him according to the flesh, was the Mother of God [Theotokos]. I acknowledge the holy apostles, prophets, and martyrs, and I call upon them in prayer to God -- that through them, that is, through their intercession, the merciful God may be gracious to me and that forgiveness may be given for my sins.
For this reason I also honor and reverence the likenesses of their images, inasmuch as these have been handed down from the holy apostles and are not forbidden, but are found in all our churches.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.