Dove

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Dove. A bird of the pigeon family. Much symbolism is focused on the dove which ancient natural history (wrongly) regarded as a gentle and humble bird, noted for its fidelity. As the bird that returned to the ark with an olive-branch, it is a symbol of peace (cf. Genesis 8. 11); as the bird that descended on Christ at his baptism, it is a symbol of the Holy Spirit (cf. Mark 1. 10). The dove is also a symbol of the Church, the faithful human soul, or divine inspiration. The ‘eucharistic dove’ was a popular vessel in medieval Europe for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament.

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