Dove
Painters often represented the Holy Spirit symbolically as a dove, referring to the Gospel’s verses that talk about John baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22). Artists included this element also in other scenes of Jesus’ life; for example in the episode of Mary visited by the angel: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God”.