Are there other sources for the belief in Catholicism that the Apostles composed the articles present in the Apostles' Creed between them?

Question

In the section Origin of the creed in the article Apostles' Creed | New Advent, it states that throughout the Middle Ages it was generally believed that the Apostles, on the day of Pentecost, while still under the direct inspiration of the Holy Ghost, composed our present Creed between them, each of the Apostles contributing one of the twelve articles.

The articles then names three sources:

1) This legend dates back to the sixth century (see Pseudo-Augustine in Migne, P.L., XXXIX, 2189, and Pirminius, ibid., LXXXIX, 1034).

2) To a sermon attributed to St. Ambrose (Migne, P.L., XVII, 671; Kattenbusch, I, 81), which takes notice that the Creed was "pieced together by twelve separate workmen".

(Church teaching also references St. Ambrose Cf. CCC 194 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". [St. Ambrose, Expl. symb. 7: PL 17,1196.])

And

3) To Rufinus (Migne, P.L., XXI, 337) c. 400,

The article then goes on to show why it regards the circumstantial narrative of Rufinus as unhistorical.

That leaves sources 1) and 2) and I started to wonder whether there were other sources for the belief in Catholicism that the Apostles composed the articles present in the Apostles' Creed between them, with each of the Apostles contributing one of the articles.

Are there other sources for the belief in Catholicism that the Apostles composed the present articles in the Apostles' Creed between them, with each of the Apostles contributing an article?

---

Related questions:

• Did the Apostles' Creed originate with the Apostles?
• When did “he descended into hell” become part of the Apostles' Creed?

Answer 1

St. Thomas Aquinas appears to believe this. He wrote in Summa Theologica II-II q. 1 a. 9 ("Whether it is suitable for the articles of faith to be embodied in a symbol?") ad 6:

…the symbol of the Fathers…was drawn up after the faith was already spread abroad, and when the Church was already at peace…. … the symbol of the Apostles… was drawn up at the time of persecution, before the faith was made public..

Answer 2

In my research there is one account I found of what may be another source contributing to the belief in Catholicism that the Apostles composed the articles present in the Apostles' Creed between them, with each of the Apostles contributing one of the articles. It is from what the Church terms as Private Revelation. This is from the revelation to now Venerable María of Ágreda [Maria of Jesus], a discalced Franciscan nun; born 1602; died 24 May, 1665. An account of the composition of the creed is in her writings that are now in book form called The Mystical City of God.

In it she relates that after the stoning of St, Stephen, and as great persecution arose against the Church in Jerusalem that would result in the Apostles’ dispersion, but before they did, Mary prudently reminded them that they did not ’as yet have a formula or express creed to guide themselves uniformly and without differences, so that all the faithful might believe one and the same express truths.’ Venerable Maria continues:

All the Apostles consented to this proposal of Peter. Then he celebrated a Mass, in which he gave Communion to the most holy Mary and the Apostles whereupon they all, including the blessed Mother, prostrated themselves in prayer calling upon the Holy Ghost. After continuing their prayers for some time they heard the rumbling of thunder, as on the first coming down of the Holy Ghost upon the gathering of the faithful; at the same time the Cenacle was filled with light and splendour and all were enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Then the most blessed Mary asked each of the Apostles to define a mystery, according as the divine Spirit should inspire them. Thereupon saint Peter began, and was followed by the rest in the following order:

1. Saint Peter: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

2. Saint Andrew : And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

3 and 4. Saint James the Greater: Who was conceived through operation of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary.

5. Saint John: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.

6 and 7. Saint Thomas: Descended into hell, arose from the dead on the third day.

8. Saint James the Less: Ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

9. Saint Philip: From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

10. Saint Bartholomew: I believe in the Holy Ghost.

11. Saint Matthew: In the holy Catholic Church, the Communion of saints.

12. Saint Simon: Forgiveness of sins.

13. Saint Thaddeus: The resurrection of the flesh.

14. Saint Mathias: Life everlasting. Amen.

This symbol, which we ordinarily call the Creed, the Apostles established after the martyrdom of Saint Stephen and before the end of the first year after the death of the Savior. Afterwards, in order to refute the Arian and other heresies, the Church, in the councils held on their account, explained more fully the mysteries contained in the Apostles’ Creed and composed the one now chanted in the Mass. But in substance both are one and the same and contain the fourteen articles, which are the basis for the catechetical teaching of the Christian faith and which we are all bound to believe in order to be saved.

This perhaps is another source contributing to the general belief in Catholicism that the Apostles composed the articles present in the Apostles' Creed between them, with each of the Apostles contributing an article.

What is clear is that throughout Church history, this has been the story within the Church of the authorship of the articles of the Apostles’ Creed.