Among the many basic prayers of the Catholic Church is the Apostles' Creed. This profession of faith is recited on many occasions, such as during the Rosary.
According to legend, the Apostles themselves each wrote a portion of that Creed on Pentecost. While scholars have debated for centuries the authenticity of such a claim, many believe that at the very least, a form of the Apostles' Creed was written during the 2nd century and was based on an outline from the apostolic age.
Whatever the truth of this claim, the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, "The Apostles' Creed is so called because it is rightly considered to be a faithful summary of the apostles' faith. It is the ancient baptismal symbol of the Church of Rome. Its great authority arises from this fact: it is 'the Creed of the Roman Church, the See of Peter the first of the apostles, to which he brought the common faith'" (CCC 194).
Here are the official words of the Apostles' Creed in the Catholic Church.
