Holy Spirit in Christianity

==Symbolism and art==

===Symbolism===
[[File:Faroe stamp 537 jolavisan.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|The Holy Spirit as a dove on a stamp from [[Faroe Islands]]]]
The Holy Spirit is frequently referred to by metaphor and [[Christian symbolism|symbol]], both doctrinally and biblically. Theologically speaking these symbols are a key to understanding of the Holy Spirit and his actions, and are not mere artistic representations.<ref name=cathhs/><ref name="watsonsym">{{cite book |author=Watson |first=David |author-link=David Watson (evangelist) |title=One in the Spirit |publisher=Hodder and Stoughton |year=1973 |pages=20–25 |language=en}}</ref>
* Water – signifies the Holy Spirit's action in Baptism, such that in the manner that "by one Spirit [believers] were all baptized", so they are "made to drink of one Spirit".<ref>{{Bibleref2|1Cor|12:13||1Cor 12:13}}</ref> Thus the Spirit is also personally the living water welling up from Christ crucified<ref>{{Bibleref2|John|19:34||Jn 19:34}}{{Bibleref2|1John|5:8||1 Jn 5:8}}</ref> as its source and welling up in Christians to eternal life.<ref name=watsonsym/><ref name=catechism>''CCC'': [https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s2c3a8.htm#II Symbols of the Holy Spirit (nos. 694–701)].</ref> The ''[[Catechism of the Catholic Church]]'', item 1137, considers the [[Water of Life (Christianity)|Water of Life]] reference in the [[Book of Revelation]]<ref>[[s:Bible (American Standard)/Revelation#21:6|Revelation 21:6]] and [[s:Bible (American Standard)/Revelation#22:1|Revelation 22:1]]</ref> "one of most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit".<ref>{{cite web|title=Catechism of the Catholic Church – Celebrating the Church's liturgy|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s1c2a1.htm|access-date=2020-08-10|website=www.vatican.va}}</ref>
* Anointing – The symbolism of blessing with oil also signifies the Holy Spirit, to the point of becoming a synonym for the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Spirit is referred to as his "anointing".<ref>{{Bibleref2|2Cor|1:21||2Cor 1:21}}</ref> In some denominations anointing is practiced in Confirmation; ("chrismation" in the [[Eastern Christianity|Eastern Churches]]). Its full force can be grasped only in relation to the primary anointing accomplished by the Holy Spirit, that of Jesus. The title "[[Christ]]" (in Hebrew, ''messiah'') means the one "anointed" by God's Spirit.<ref name=watsonsym/><ref name=catechism/>
* Fire – symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions. In the form of tongues "as of fire", the Holy Spirit rested on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost.<ref name=watsonsym/><ref name=catechism/>
* Cloud and light – The Spirit comes upon the Virgin Mary and "overshadows" her, so that she might conceive and give birth to Jesus. On the mountain of transfiguration, the Spirit in the "cloud came and overshadowed" Jesus, Moses and Elijah, Peter, James and John, and "a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!'"<ref name=catechism/><ref>{{Bibleref2|Lk|9:34–35||Lk 9:34–35}}</ref>
* The dove – When Christ comes up from the water of his baptism, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes down upon him and remains with him.<ref name=watsonsym/><ref name=catechism/><ref>{{Bibleref2|Mt|3:16||Mt 3:16}}</ref>
* Wind – The Spirit is likened to the "wind that blows where it will,"<ref>{{Bibleref2|Jn|3:8||Jn 3:8}}</ref> and described as "a sound from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind."<ref>{{Bibleref2|Acts|2:2–4||Acts 2:24}}</ref><ref name=watsonsym/>

===Art, literature and architecture===
{{Main article|Holy Spirit in Christian art}}'''Art'''[[File:Peter Paul Rubens - Annunciation - WGA20250.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The Holy Spirit as a dove in the [[Annunciation]] by [[Rubens]], 1628]]
The Holy Spirit has been represented in [[Christian art]] both in the [[Eastern Church|Eastern]] and [[Western Church]]es using a variety of depictions.<ref name="Earls70">''Renaissance Art: A Topical Dictionary'' by Irene Earls 1987 {{ISBN|0313246580}}, p. 70.</ref><ref name="Gardner349">''Gardner's Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective'' by Fred S. Kleiner {{ISBN|0495573558}}, p. 349.</ref><ref name="Lossky">Vladimir Lossky, 1999. ''The Meaning of Icons,'' {{ISBN|0913836990}}, p. 17.</ref> The depictions have ranged from nearly identical figures that represent the three persons of the [[Holy Trinity]], to a dove, to a flame.

The Holy Spirit is often depicted as a [[dove]], based on the account of the Holy Spirit descending on [[Jesus]] like a dove when he was baptized in the [[Jordan River|Jordan]] river.<ref name=Joel14/> In many paintings of the [[Annunciation]], the Holy Spirit is shown in the form of a dove, coming down towards Mary on beams of light, as the [[Archangel]] Gabriel announces [[Jesus Christ]]'s coming to [[Mary, the mother of Jesus|Mary]]. A dove may also be seen at the ear of [[Gregory the Great]] – as recorded by his secretary – or other church father authors, dictating their works to them. The dove also parallels the one that brought the olive branch to [[Noah]] after the deluge, as a symbol of peace.<ref name="Joel14">''We Believe in the Holy Spirit'' (Ancient Christian Doctrine, No. 4) by Joel C. Elowsky (2009) InterVarsity {{ISBN|0830825347}}, p. 14.</ref>

The book of Acts describes the Holy Spirit descending on the [[twelve apostles|apostles]] at Pentecost in the form of a wind and tongues of fire resting over the apostles' heads. Based on the imagery in that account, the Holy Spirit is sometimes symbolized by a flame of fire.<ref name="Eugene121">''The Holy Spirit: Classic and Contemporary Readings'' by Eugene F. Rogers Jr. (2009) Wiley {{ISBN|1405136235}}, pp. 121–123.</ref>

Ancient [[Celtic Christianity|Celtic Christians]] depicted the Holy Spirit as a goose called Ah Geadh-Glas, which means wild goose.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.circleofhope.net/benwhite/tag/ah-geadh-glas/|title=Ah Geadh-Glas Archives|website=Today, if you hear his voice|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-11}}</ref> A goose was chosen rather than the traditional dove because geese were perceived as more free than their dove counterparts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www1.cbn.com/biblestudy/christians-on-a-wild-goose-chase|title=Christians on a Wild Goose Chase|date=2013-09-25|website=CBN.com – The Christian Broadcasting Network|language=en|access-date=2020-03-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Downs|first=Annie|title=Remember God|publisher=B&H Publishing Group|year=2018|quote="But did you also know that Celtic Christians call the Holy Spirit Ah Geadh-Glas, which means "Wild Goose"? Don't you love that? Because if you've ever tried to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, for sure it can feel like a wild goose chase."}}</ref>

'''Literature'''

The Holy Spirit has traditionally been a subject matter of strictly theological works focused on proving the central doctrines concerning the Holy Spirit, often as a response to arguments from religious groups who deny these beliefs. In recent years, however, the Holy Spirit has made an entrance into the world of (Christian) literature through books such as [[The Shack (Young novel)|The Shack]] published in 2007.

====Visual arts====
<gallery>
File:Pietro Perugino 077.jpg|Dove representation in the [[Baptism of Jesus|Baptism of Christ]] by [[Pietro Perugino]], circa 1498
File:Merazhofen Pfarrkirche Josephsaltar Altarblatt Pfingstwunder.jpg|Representation as both dove and flames, Ravensburg, Germany, 1867
File:Pentecost (Kirillo-Belozersk).jpg|Ray of light representation in Russian icon of the [[Pentecost]], 15th century
LT Kaunas, kosc Sakramentu - kopula, 2019.07.20, fot Ivonna Nowicka (1).jpg|On the [[keystone (architecture)|keystone]] (inside of the dome) of the [[Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Kaunas]]
</gallery>

====Holy Spirit cathedrals====
<gallery>
File:Belarus-Minsk-Cathedral of Holy Spirit-1.jpg|[[Holy Spirit Cathedral (Minsk)]], [[Belarus]]
File:Guildford Cathedral.jpg|[[Guildford Cathedral]], UK
File:Hradec Králové - katedrála svatého Ducha.jpg|[[Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Hradec Králové|Cathedral in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic]]
</gallery>