Reformed Confessions
1563Heidelberg, the Palatinate

The Heidelberg Catechism

Crafted in 1563 at Heidelberg, Germany, at Elector Frederick III’s request, the catechism aimed to instruct youth, guide the preaching of the province’s churches and foster confessional unity among Palatinate Protestants. Tradition attributes its authorship to Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus.

Begin with Lord’s Day 1 Read the whole catechism
52Lord’s Days
129questions and answers
6.4hours of film
Title page of the first Latin edition of 1563: Catechesis religionis christianae, quae traditur in ecclesiis et scholis Palatinatus
The title page of the 1563 Latin edition
ComfortMiseryDeliveranceGratitude
Introduction

Our Only Comfort

What is your only comfort in life and in death?

  1. 3:12Lord’s Day 1Our Only ComfortQ 1–2
Part I · Lord’s Days 2–4

Misery

How great our sin and misery are.

  1. 7:30Lord’s Day 2The Knowledge of SinQ 3–5
  2. 10:14Lord’s Day 3The Fall & Human NatureQ 6–8
  3. 8:32Lord’s Day 4God’s Justice & JudgmentQ 9–11
Part II · Lord’s Days 5–31

Deliverance

How we are set free from all our sins and misery.

  1. 12:34Lord’s Day 5The Need for a MediatorQ 12–15
  2. 7:45Lord’s Day 6The True MediatorQ 16–19
  3. 7:36Lord’s Day 7True Faith & The GospelQ 20–23
  4. 8:54Lord’s Day 8The Holy TrinityQ 24–25
  5. 8:31Lord’s Day 9God the Father & CreationQ 26
  6. 9:12Lord’s Day 10God’s ProvidenceQ 27–28
  7. 6:04Lord’s Day 11The Name JesusQ 29–30
  8. 8:40Lord’s Day 12The Name ChristQ 31–32
  9. 7:35Lord’s Day 13The Only Begotten SonQ 33–34
  10. 7:54Lord’s Day 14The IncarnationQ 35–36
  11. 6:24Lord’s Day 15The Suffering of ChristQ 37–39
  12. 10:52Lord’s Day 16Death & BurialQ 40–44
  13. 7:30Lord’s Day 17The ResurrectionQ 45
  14. 6:49Lord’s Day 18The AscensionQ 46–49
  15. 8:22Lord’s Day 19Christ at the Right HandQ 50–52
  16. 6:15Lord’s Day 20The Holy SpiritQ 53
  17. 7:01Lord’s Day 21The Holy Catholic ChurchQ 54–56
  18. 6:35Lord’s Day 22Resurrection of the BodyQ 57–58
  19. 5:42Lord’s Day 23Justification by FaithQ 59–61
  20. 6:35Lord’s Day 24Faith & Good WorksQ 62–64
  21. 7:39Lord’s Day 25Word & SacramentsQ 65–68
  22. 7:11Lord’s Day 26Holy BaptismQ 69–71
  23. 9:33Lord’s Day 27Infant BaptismQ 72–74
  24. 7:23Lord’s Day 28The Lord’s SupperQ 75–77
  25. 6:46Lord’s Day 29Bread & WineQ 78–79
  26. 7:15Lord’s Day 30The Lord’s Supper & The MassQ 80–82
  27. 7:00Lord’s Day 31The Keys of the KingdomQ 83–85
Part III · Lord’s Days 32–52

Gratitude

How we are to thank God for such deliverance.

  1. 7:18Lord’s Day 32Why Do Good Works?Q 86–87
  2. 6:24Lord’s Day 33True RepentanceQ 88–91
  3. 8:31Lord’s Day 34The First CommandmentQ 92–95
  4. 11:37Lord’s Day 35The Second CommandmentQ 96–98
  5. 6:56Lord’s Day 36The Third CommandmentQ 99–100
  6. 7:40Lord’s Day 37Oaths & VowsQ 101–102
  7. 7:08Lord’s Day 38The Fourth CommandmentQ 103
  8. 6:39Lord’s Day 39The Fifth CommandmentQ 104
  9. 7:13Lord’s Day 40The Sixth CommandmentQ 105–107
  10. 6:44Lord’s Day 41The Seventh CommandmentQ 108–109
  11. 6:56Lord’s Day 42The Eighth CommandmentQ 110–111
  12. 4:13Lord’s Day 43The Ninth CommandmentQ 112
  13. 7:04Lord’s Day 44The Tenth CommandmentQ 113–115
  14. 6:16Lord’s Day 45The Necessity of PrayerQ 116–119
  15. 5:57Lord’s Day 46Our FatherQ 120–121
  16. 6:46Lord’s Day 47Hallowed Be Thy NameQ 122
  17. 6:48Lord’s Day 48Thy Kingdom ComeQ 123
  18. 6:42Lord’s Day 49Thy Will Be DoneQ 124
  19. 7:03Lord’s Day 50Daily BreadQ 125
  20. 7:45Lord’s Day 51Forgive Us Our DebtsQ 126
  21. 6:08Lord’s Day 52Deliver Us From EvilQ 127–129
Engraved portrait of Zacharias Ursinus in a scholar’s cap
Zacharias Ursinus (1534–1583)
With every Lord’s Day

Ursinus’s Own Commentary

Each Lord’s Day carries the commentary of Zacharias Ursinus, the catechism’s chief author, who taught it to his students in Heidelberg. Open it beneath the illustrations on any Lord’s Day.

Try a number, like 32 for Lord’s Day 32 or Q 1, or a word from a question.