The Communion of Saints: What Early Christians Meant by This Phrase

A Late Addition with Deep Roots

The phrase "the communion of saints" (communio sanctorum in Latin) was not in the earliest versions of the Apostles' Creed. It appears to have been added in the 4th or 5th century — but when it was added, it gave voice to something the church had believed from the beginning.

The phrase sits within the third article of the creed, alongside belief in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. This placement is significant: the communion of saints is a work of the Holy Spirit, inseparable from the life of the church.

Two Meanings, One Phrase

The Latin communio sanctorum can be read two ways, and both readings are historically attested:

1. Communion of holy persons — the creed is affirming fellowship among believers, those who have been made holy by the Spirit. This includes the living church on earth and the dead who are alive to God in Christ.

2. Communion in holy things — the phrase refers to participation in the holy gifts — the word, baptism, and the Eucharist. This interpretation connects the creed to sacramental life.

Most theologians today hold that both meanings are true and mutually reinforcing: we are united with each other because we share in the same holy things — the same Lord, the same Spirit, the same baptism, the same table.

The Church Militant, Suffering, and Triumphant

The medieval church developed a framework for understanding the communion of saints across time:

• The Church Militant — believers now living on earth, still engaged in the spiritual struggle
• The Church Suffering — those who have died and are being purified (a concept specific to Roman Catholic theology)
• The Church Triumphant — those who have died in faith and are now with God in glory

Protestant traditions largely dropped the middle category but retained the basic insight that the communion of saints is not limited to the living. When Christians worship, they join a congregation that includes Abraham, the apostles, the martyrs, and every believer who has gone before them.

Why It Matters in an Individualistic Age

The communion of saints is a direct challenge to the individualism that pervades much of modern Christianity. Christian faith is not a private transaction between a lone individual and God. You are baptized into a body. You are fed at a common table. Your faith is held and supported by the prayers, witness, and sacrifice of countless others — most of whom you will never meet in this life.

When you recite the creed, you are confessing this: you do not believe alone. You believe with the church — past, present, and future — and that company is far larger and more glorious than any congregation that fits in a building.