Doves are mentioned many times in the ancient book, from the baptism of Jesus to after the flood, when Noah sent out a dove and it returned with an olive branch (a sign of dry land nearby). As such, a dove came to represent peace with God, innocence, and purity.
The soul returning to the Goddess after death was conceived as a dove and from this idea, Christians believed that the souls of saints became white doves that flew out of their mouths at the moment of death.
The accounts are recorded in Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, and John 1 (Matthew 3:16 (Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32)) And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.
According to the biblical story (Genesis 8:11), a dove was released by Noah after the Flood in order to find land; it came back carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf (Hebrew: עלה זית alay zayit), a sign of life after the Flood and of God's bringing Noah, his family and the animals to land.
Perhaps the most powerful avian symbol is the dove representing the Holy Spirit, which can be found throughout the art of the Basilica. The striking Universal Call to Holiness relief features a dove as its centerpiece, symbolizing the Holy Spirit calling people from all walks of life.
The alkonost, the sirin, the caladrius, the roc and the phoenix are all five mythical birds from legend and folklore. Each were attributed their own magical qualities and roles by various human societies in history and presented here is a brief description of these five fabled creatures.
The hamsa is deemed sacred in the Buddhism, as a symbol of wisdom. Some scholars such as Donald Swearer translate it as swan, others such as Thien Chou as goose.
The symbols of the Holy Spirit are: Dove, Fire, Oil, Wind and Water. The Dove: This can be seen in the description of the baptism of Christ (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:30-34).
"White doves embody the meaning of purity, peace, love, and connection with the Divine," says Harmon-Luber. A white dove also represents innocence, explains Kirsten.
Hope, Honesty, Purity, and Peace
There are many positive attributes that are associated with white doves: hope, honesty, purity, and love are only a few. In the Bible, the white dove was often used as a symbol for the Holy Spirit, bringing messages to the man from heaven.
Owls, Vultures, Bats (the list goes on) Leviticus 11 features the most comprehensive list of birds in the Bible, differentiated as clean or unclean foods. Verse 13 mentions vultures, kites, ravens, six kinds of owl, gulls, hawks, cormorants, storks, herons and even bats!
According to Asian legend, when a phoenix flies from heaven to earth, it likes to perch on a branch of a paulownia, or princess tree. Both the bird and the tree have been used as emblems of the Japanese empire.
The Ziz (Hebrew: זיז) is a giant griffin-like bird in Jewish mythology, said to be large enough to be able to block out the sun with its wingspan.
White doves are symbolic of new beginnings, peace, fidelity, love, luck and prosperity. Their release is a tradition that has been making ceremonies, rituals and celebrations more powerful and meaningful for thousands of years. Releasing doves uplifts the eyes, signifies new beginnings and true celebrations in flight.
All of the Gospels record an instance in which the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Luke 3:22 says: “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”
In Christianity, white doves are often used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and are associated with various biblical stories and themes, including peace, purity, and the presence of God.
As such, a dove came to represent peace with God, innocence, and purity. But the Christians weren't the only ones that assign meaning to doves. Many Native American stories feature the delicate white bird in their folklore.
In Chinese culture, doves are a symbol of fidelity and long life. In many cultures, doves are thought to be good luck and aid in the remembrance of loved ones.
The dove was singled out to represent romance because Greek mythology associated the small, white bird with Aphrodite, the goddess of love (known in Roman mythology as Venus). Aphrodite/Venus is often depicted with doves fluttering around her or resting on her hand.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. While some Christans accept these as a definitive list of specific attributes, others understand them merely as examples of the Holy Spirit's work through the faithful.
Three separate terms, namely Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth and Paraclete are used in the Johannine writings. The "Spirit of Truth" is used in John 14:17, 15:26, and 16:13.
Alpha and Omega: Represents God, the beginning and the end. Three interwoven circles: Represents the Trinity. A circle has no beginning or end, so it signifies the eternal nature of God. The interweaving of the three circles symbolizes the equality among God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
…as the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), the most powerful bird of prey to be found in the world.
1. Harpy Eagle. Harpy eagles can lift sloths and monkeys over 30 lbs each. The harpy eagle is by far one of the strongest birds on Earth.