CONSTANTINE

The Holy Catholic Church

The word catholic means “universal.” In the Apostles’ and Nicene traditions, the Church is understood as the community gathered in Christ, rooted in the teaching of the apostles, the sacraments, prayer, and the proclamation of the Gospel. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed professes belief in “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”

From the earliest centuries, Christians worshipped in local churches led by bishops, preserved the apostolic teaching, celebrated the Eucharist, and cared for the poor. The ancient Christian tradition is shared in important ways by Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians, even as their histories, communion structures, and some theological formulations developed differently over time.

In Catholic teaching, Jesus Christ is the founder and head of the Church. The apostles were entrusted with the mission of proclaiming the Gospel, and Peter holds a distinctive role in the New Testament narratives. The image above depicts the scene traditionally associated with Christ entrusting Peter with the keys.

This short quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). Read the passage in context in Matthew 16:13–20. The keys are also mentioned in Matthew 16:19.

Jesus Christ

Explore the Christian confession of Jesus as the eternal Word, Creator, Redeemer and risen Lord.

The Holy Trinity & Angels

Explore the one God in Three Persons, the three Archangels, and the heavenly orders.

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About the Bible · NRSV

The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) is used as the Scripture reference translation for this project. This site will provide selected short quotations, chapter-and-verse references, and study notes—not reproduce the full copyrighted Bible text.