Sunday, May 31, 2020

A Dove Descending

Master of Sir George Talbot, Holy Spirit
From a Book of Hours
Flemish (Bruges), c. 1495-1500
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 390, fol. 167v






Veni, Sancte Spiritus,
et emitte caelitus
lucis tuae radium.

Veni, pater pauperum,
veni, dator munerum,
veni, lumen cordium.

Consolator optime,
dulcis hospes animae,
dulce refrigerium.

In labore requies,
in aestu temperies,
in fletu solatium.

O lux beatissima,
reple cordis intima
tuorum fidelium.

Sine tuo numine,
nihil est in homine,
nihil est innoxium.

Lava quod est sordidum,
riga quod est aridum,
sana quod est saucium.

Flecte quod est rigidum,
fove quod est frigidum,
rege quod est devium.

Da tuis fidelibus,
in te confidentibus,
sacrum septenarium.

Da virtutis meritum,
da salutis exitum,
da perenne gaudium.”
Latin text of the Sequence for the Feast of Pentecost *

The great feast of Pentecost draws our attention every year to the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost in older terminology).  We celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other disciples, including the Virgin Mary, which marks the true birthday of the Church.  
Pentecost
From the Rabbula Gospels
Late Antique (Syrian), c. 585
Florence, Laurentian Library
MS cod. Plut. I, 56, fol. 14r

This is the day, following ten days after the Ascension of Jesus, when the mysterious event which turned a group of people who had been frightened almost out of their wits just six weeks earlier into joyful, outgoing, courageous proclaimers of unexpected “Good News”. 

Jean Restout, Pentecost
French, 1732
Paris, Musée du Louvre

The Acts of the Apostles describes this mysterious event in terms of a “strong, driving wind” and “tongues as of fire” (Acts 2:2-3).1  The wind indeed relates to the word for spirit in most of the languages derived from Latin.  It survives for the English-speaking world in words such as "inspire" and "respire". So, in effect, the Holy Spirit is at base a Holy Wind which inspires action.  But it was clearly something spiritual, not just a mini hurricane.  Whatever did happen,  it was clearly something unusual.  Whatever it was, the same disciples (and those who came after them) began to call it the Holy Spirit and to include it in the formula which they very soon established to describe their new experiences of God.  From this group of devout Jews came the startling announcement that God, while still the one God proclaimed by the Jews, was somehow made up of three distinct Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  And, what’s more, they proclaimed that the Threeness did not do any damage to the Oneness.  All Three are God and yet God is One.   It’s been puzzling both believers and non-believers ever since.  Presumably when we die we may begin to understand, but perhaps this mystery will still elude us even then.
Diagram which attempts to explain the relationships within the Holy Trinity

In any case, those who live in the temporal world have been trying to get their heads around this for a very long time and not succeeding too well.  So, just what are we talking about when we talk about the Holy Spirit?

First of all, the Holy Spirit is biblical.  There are many texts in the Old Testament which describe the spirit of God, which is somehow distinct from but related to the power of God.  Indeed, the very first verses of the Old Testament, the Book of Genesis, read:  In principio creavit Deus caelum et terram.  Terra autem erat inanis et vacua, et tenebrae super faciem abyssi, et spiritus Dei ferebatur super aquas (my emphasis).”2   The New Testament also makes several specific references to the Holy Spirit before we even get to Pentecost.  For instance, the Angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she has been chosen to bring the Messiah into the world.  She very sensibly asks how this can happen, since she is a virgin.  The answer is “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35).  Similarly, Joseph is told in a dream not to fear to make her his wife because “it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.” (Matthew 1:20).  And, when Jesus is baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist we learn that “After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17) Also, in John’s recordings of Jesus’ talk at the Last Supper, there is frequent mention of another Advocate, the Spirit of Truth “which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) and again “The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” (John 14:26).  Or again, “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.” (John 15:26).  In one of his final appearances after the Resurrection, Jesus breathed on them and said “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (John 20:22-23) ".  Further, the Evangelist Matthew ends his Gospel with the words of the so-called Great Commission All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Consequently, when the mysterious event of Pentecost occurred, they knew that what had happened must have been the coming of the Advocate whom Jesus had told them to expect.  And, shortly thereafter, they began to use the formula which we still use today when baptizing, when beginning prayer with the sign of the cross, when thinking about God, “the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”.  By the middle years of the first century, within living memory of Jesus, the writer of 1 Peter, whether Peter himself, a secretary, or another person close to him, was able to begin his letter to the churches of the Eastern Mediterranean with the words “in the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ: may grace and peace be yours in abundance.” (1 Peter 2). 

But how to think of this mysterious Person.  And, even more so, how to depict “Him” when creating Christian art?  There have been many answers, but one in particular has proved to be the most prolific over the longest time and this is the one I will examine today.

The Dove

Probably the image that most easily comes to mind when attempting to depict the Holy Spirit is the dove.  And, it’s a good one.  For one thing it has solid Biblical grounding.  All four of the Evangelists mention that, at the baptism of Jesus the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32).  And, consequently, the dove is the most commonly used representation for the Holy Spirit. 

Giovanni di Benedetto and Workshop, The Holy Spirit
From a Missal
Italian (Milan), c. 1385-1390
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Latin 757, fol. 241v


Willem Vralant, The Holy Spirit
Historiated Initial from Hours of Catherine of Aragon
Flemish, c. 1460
The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek
MS KB 76 F 7, fol. 51v

The Holy Spirit
From the Hours of Francois II
French, 1555
Paris,Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Nouvelle acquisition latine 104, fol. 120v



Anselm Kiefer, Send Forth Your Spirit, Inspire the artist
German, 1974
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
© Anselm Kiefer


Other possible images, such as a third, identical human figure as part of the Trinity or alone are very infrequent.

The Holy Trinity
From Bible historiale by Guiard des Moulins
French (Paris), c. 1350-1375
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francais 161, fol. 1

Master of James IV of Scotland and Collaborators, The Holy Trinity
From the Spinola Hours
Flemish (Bruges), c. 1510-1520
Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum
MS Ludwig IX 18, Leaf


Follower of Jean Pichore, The Holy Spirit
From a Book of Hours
French (Paris), c. 1510-1520
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS 286, fol. 92r

Eucharistic Doves

One of the early (and to modern eyes surprising) uses of the dove form were metal doves, made of precious metals, such as gold and silver, or highly decorated base metals.  They were suspended above the altars of churches from about the end of the fourth century until well into the Middle Ages.  They initially served the symbolic role of representing the Holy Spirit, whom the Eucharistic prayers invoke, to bless the sacrificial offerings (the bread and wine to be consecrated), and, later in time, as receptacles, known as peristeria, for reservation of the consecrated Host, intensifying their own identity in the process.3   

Silver Dove from the Attarouthi Treasure
Byzantine, c. 500-650
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Eucharistic Dove
French (Limoges),, Enameled and Gilded Copper, c. 1215-1235
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Eucharistic Dove
French (Limoges), Enameled and Gilded Copper, First Half of the 13th Century
Paris, Musée du Louvre, Departement des Arts Decoratifs


The Baptism of Christ

The dove was, of course, most frequently seen in images of the Baptism of Christ.  Following the Evangelists, the dove is most frequently seen hovering over the head of Jesus, or between Jesus and John, in scenes of the Baptism.

Giusto de' Menabuoi, Baptism of Christ
Italian, c. 1378
Padua, Baptistry


Guido Reni. Baptism of Christ
Italian, c. 1623
Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum



However, the dove appears in many other contexts as well.  As the references in the sequence cited at the beginning of this article suggest the Spirit acts in many ways through the life of the Church and of the individual Christian.  So we have images that depict these many ways.

Source of Inspiration

The dove has often been shown hovering over the heads of preachers or whispering in the ear of theologians. 

Ivory Book Cover, Saint Gregory the Great Inspired by the Holy Spirit
German, c. 850-1000
Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum


Saint Augustine Writing Under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit
From Enarrationes in Psalmos by Saint Augustine of Hippo
French (South West), 11th-12th Century
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Latin 1987, fol. 43



Saint Matthew
From a Bible
Byzantine, 13th Century
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Supplement grec 104, fol. 10v


Mahiet, Saint John the Evangelist
From Bible historiale complétée by Guiard des Moulins
French (Paris), c. 1325-1350
London, British Library
MS Royal 18 D VIII, fol. 162v


Jean Bandol and Workshop,  Saint James the Great Preaching
From Grande Bible Historiale Complétée by Guiard des Moulins
French (Paris), c. 1371-1372
The Hague, Meermano Museum
MS RMMW 10 B 23, fol. 569r

 
Peter and John in Samaria
From a Book of Hours
Flemish (Tournai), c. 1465-1475
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 316, fol. 18v


Master of Charles V, Saint Peter Preaching
From Charles V Hours
Flemish (Brussels), 1533
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 491, fol. 131r

Comforter

Occasionally the dove will appear near a saint who is undergoing torture or martyrdom.

Mahiet and Workshop, Martyrdom of Saint Eulalia
From Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beauvais
French (Paris), c. 1335
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Arsenal 5080, fol. 262v

Indwelling in the Church

The dove is seen to hover above members of the Church as they participate in liturgies or meet in prayer outside of a formal liturgy.

Saint Peter Baptising
From a Book of Hours
French (Therouanne), c. 1295-1305
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 60, fol. 50v


Celebration of Mass
From a Treatise on the Mass
English, c. 1300-1325
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francais 13342, fol. 48


Master of Morgan 453, Holy Spirit Descending on Converts
From a Book of Hours
French, c. 1415-1425
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 1000, fol. 156r


Attributed to the Dunois Master, Baptism
From a Book of Hours
French (Paris), c. 1440-1450
London, British Library
MS Egerton 2019, fol. 135



Jean le Tavernier and Workshop, Celebration of Mass
Flemish (Oudenaarde), c.1450-1460
The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek
MS KB 76 F 2, fol. 76r


The Faithful Praying to the Holy Spirit
From a Book of Hours
Flemish (Bruges), c. 1465-1475
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 285, fol. 150r


The Holy Spirit Acts Through the Church
From a Book of Hours
Flemish (Bruges), c. 1465-1475
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 285, fol. 149r


Master of Charles V, An Apostle Bringing Down
the Holy Spirit on Converts
From the Hours of Charles V
Flemish (Brussels), 1533
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M 491, fol. 132r

The dove almost always appears in medieval depictions of an important event in the history of the Church in France, the baptism of Clovis, the first of the Frankish kings to convert to Christianity.  Legend insists that at his baptism, a dove actually flew down with an ampule of holy oil in its beak, an oil which was used to anoint Clovis as a Christian king and which was carefully guarded by the kings of France and never depleted.  It was used for the coronation of every king of France down to the very last.  The oil did exist, but how it was originally delivered and maintained one can only guess.

Master of the Roman de Fauvel, Baptism of Clovis
From Vie de Saint Denis
French (Paris), c. 1300-1350
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francais 13502, fol. 53


Baptism of Clovis
From Grandes chronicques de France
French (Paris), c. 1375-1380
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francais 2813, fol. 12v

Adoration

The dove symbol of the Holy Spirit may appear in images which stress the adoration due to the Third Person of the Holy Trinity independently of the two other Persons.  This is unusual, but not unheard of.

Hans Bol, Adoration of the Holy Spirit
From a Prayerbook
Flemish (Antwerp), 1582
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Latin 10564, fol. 4v

Giovanni Battista Merano, Holy Spirit Surrounded by a Wreath of Flowers Held Up by Infant Angels
Italian, c. 1660-1698
New  York, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jacinto Gomez Pastor, Holy Spirit Adored by Angels
Spanish, c.1797
Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado


Spirit of the Divine

Finally, one of the most powerful images of the Holy Spirit as dove that was ever imagined by a human is the dramatic image in different colored panes of alabaster that was incorporated by Gianlorenzo Bernini into the Cathedra Petri (the Chair of Peter) which is the final statement of Saint Peter’s Basilica.  


Gianlorenzo Bernini, The Holy Spirit, center of the Cathedra Petri
Italian, 1656-1666
Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica
Photo: Saint Peter's Basilica


This glowing image, set into the end wall of the basilica nave amid an adoring throng of gilded bronze and stucco angels, seems to blast right through the stone walls of the building with the force of divine life, just as it blew over the waters of the abyss or through the house in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost day.

Gianlorenzo Bernini, Cathedra Petri
Itialian, 1656-1666
Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica

Photo: Fabbrica di San Pietro in Vaticano 

© M. Duffy, 2020

The traditional Gregorian chant setting for the Sequence, Veni Sancte Spiritus, can be heard here.  My apologies for any advertising content that may appear beforehand.  Please click Skip to get past it, if it appears.

* English Translation by Edward Caswell

Holy Spirit, Lord of light,
From Thy clear celestial height
Thy pure beaming radiance give.

Come, Thou Father of the poor,
Come with treasures which endure,
Come, Thou Light of all that live.

Thou, of all consolers best,
Thou, the soul’s delightsome Guest,
Dost refreshing peace bestow.

Thou in toil art comfort sweet,
Pleasant coolness in the heat,
Solace in the midst of woe.

Light immortal, Light divine,
Visit Thou these hearts of Thine,
And our inmost being fill.

If Thou take Thy grace away,
Nothing pure in man will stay;
All his good is turned to ill.

Heal our wounds; our strength renew;
On our dryness pour Thy dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away.

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.

Thou, on those who evermore
Thee confess and Thee adore,
In Thy sevenfold gifts descend.

Give them comfort when they die,
Give them life with Thee on high;
Give them joys that never end.



1.  See also Acts, Chapter 1 which is full of references to the Holy Spirit.
2. Latin Vulgate Genesis 1:1-2.  I made the translation myself, with a little help from Google Translate for the words “inanis et vacua” and “ferebatur”, to avoid any wrangling over which official English translation to use.  It reads “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.   And the earth was a formless void, and darkness was over the face of the deep, and the spirit of God moved over the waters. "
3.  For the history of Eucharistic reservation and of doves in particular see:  King, Archdale A.  Eucharistic Reservation in the Western Church, New York, Sheed and Ward, 1965, pp. 42-45.  See also: Gauthier, Marie-Madeleine, Bernadette Barriere, Dom Jean Becquet, Elisabeth Taburet-Delahaye, Barbara Drake Boehm, Michel Pastoureau, Beatrice de Chancel-Bardelot, Isabelle Biron, Pete Dandridge and Mark T. Wypyski, Enamels of Limoges, 1100–1350; New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1996, pp. 318-320.



Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Quotations in Latin are taken from the Latin Vulgate of Saint Jerome, which is available online at: a) https://www.newadvent.org/bible (also includes the Greek), b) http://www.latinvulgate.com and c) http://www.vatican.va/archive/bible/nova_vulgata/documents/nova-vulgata_index_lt.html



















No comments: