The Holy Spirit Dove

As we celebrate Pentecost,

it’s interesting to note that many Pentecost paintings feature the dove as a recurring theme. The dove will even be a new feature of the church, painted right above the Baptistery. The dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christian iconography stems from Matthew 3:16 where Jesus “saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him” after He had been baptized. According to the USCCB, “the baptism of Jesus is the occasion on which he is equipped for his ministry by the holy Spirit and proclaimed to be the Son of God.” 

Pentecost reminds us of the power of invoking the Holy Spirit to equip us to go out and continue Jesus’ mission. Additionally, having the dove painted right above the baptistery also reminds us that it is through Baptism that we become sons and daughters of God. We can therefore see this connection between Pentecost and Baptism, where we are empowered to live out our identity as children of God and go out to share the Good News with others. Identity and mission go hand in hand. 

We see many times in scripture that Jesus is “filled with the Spirit” during his public ministry. In the same way, the Apostles were filled by the Spirit during Pentecost, empowering and emboldening them to continue Jesus’ ministry, bringing others into relationship with God. The hope is that dove above the baptistery will serve as a reminder of our identity and mission as Christians. By our baptism, we have been adopted into the family of God, resulting in our mission to invite others into that same reality by calling on the Holy Spirit to fill us with boldness. 

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