Holy Spirit

In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as an agent of divine action or communication. In the Baha’i Faith, the Holy Spirit is seen as the intermediary between God and man and "the outpouring grace of God and the effulgent rays that emanate from His Manifestation".

For the large majority of Christians, the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost, from Old English, gast, "spirit") is the third person of the Trinity: The "Triune God" manifested as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; each Person is God. Two symbols from the New Testament canon are associated with the Holy Spirit in Christian iconography: a winged dove and tongues of fire. Each depiction of the Holy Spirit arose from different accounts in the Gospel narratives, the first being at the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, where the Holy Spirit was said to descend in the form of a dove as the voice of God the Father spoke as described in Matthew, Mark, and Luke; the second being from the day of Pentecost, fifty days after Passover where the descent of the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ, as tongues of fire as described in the Acts of the Apostles, as promised by Jesus in his farewell discourse. Called "the unveiled epiphany of God", the Holy Spirit is the One who empowers the followers of Jesus with spiritual gifts and power that enables the proclamation of Jesus Christ and the power that brings conviction of faith.

In Christian theology, baptism with the Holy Spirit, also called baptism in the Holy Spirit or baptism in the Holy Ghost, has been interpreted by different Christian denominations and traditions in various ways due to differences in the doctrines of salvation and ecclesiology. It is frequently associated with incorporation into the Christian Church, the bestowal of spiritual gifts, and empowerment for Christian ministry. Spirit baptism has been variously defined as part of the sacraments of initiation into the church, as being synonymous with regeneration and with Christian perfection that empowers a person for Christian life and service. The term baptism with the Holy Spirit originates in the New Testament, and all Christian traditions accept it as a theological concept.


Before the 18th century, most denominations believed Christians received the baptism with the Holy Spirit either upon conversion and regeneration or through rites of Christian initiation, such as water baptism and confirmation. Emerging in the mid-18th century, Methodism (inclusive of the holiness movement) affirms the possibility of entire sanctification as a second work of grace, which it teaches is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The 20th century saw the spread of Pentecostal churches, which identified a baptism of the Holy Spirit with glossolalia; the belief that this is an experience distinct from Christian initiation has become increasingly prominent.

The Catholic Church teaches that baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist, the sacraments of Christian initiation, lay the foundations of the Christian life. The Christian life is based on baptism. It is "the gateway to life in the Spirit" and "signifies and brings about the birth of water and the Spirit". The post, ,baptismal anointing (Chrismation in the Eastern churches) signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit and announces a second anointing to be conferred later in confirmation that completes the baptismal anointing.

Confirmation, then, is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. When confirmed, Catholics receive the "special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost". For the confirmand, it increases the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord), unites more fully to Christ and the Church, and gives strength to confess Christ and defend the faith.] The rite of confirmation orients toward the mission, and many liturgical texts remind the initiate that the gift of the Holy Spirit should be used for service to the church and the world

Those in the charismatic movement, including the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, teach an experiential baptism of the Holy Spirit similar to Pentecostals, defining it as the "sovereign action of God, which usually occurs when someone with a disposition of surrender and docility, prays for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in his or her life." The consensus of Catholic theologians teach that this "baptism in the Holy Spirit unleashes the Holy Spirit that is already present within us, by revitalizing the graces we received in the sacrament of Baptism." At the same time, "Baptism in the Spirit doesn't only re, , ignite the graces already given to Christians through the Sacraments – it's also a new, fresh experience of the Holy Spirit which equips and inspires the individual for service, for the mission, for discipleship and  life." Rev. Brenton Cordeiro teaches that those who have received Baptism with the Holy Spirit "testify that the experience brought them to a new awareness of the reality and presence of Jesus Christ in their lives as  new hunger for the Word of God, the Sacraments and was filled with a renewed desire for holiness

Chaplet in Honour of the Holy Spirit

The Chaplet in Honour of the Holy Spirit, also known as Chaplet of the Holy Spirit and His Seven Gifts, is a modern Christian devotion to the Holy Spirit (invented in Poland), asking for seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. 

The chaplet is begun on the short strand of the beads:

Holy Spirit, God of light, fill us with your radiance bright;
Gentle father of the poor, make us, by your help, secure;
Come, your boundless grace impart, bring your love to every heart.

Lord of consolation, come, warm us when our hearts are numb;
Great consoler, come and heal, to our souls your strength reveal;
Cool, refreshing comfort pour, and our peace of mind restore.

Light immortal, fire divine, with your love our hearts refine;
Come, our inmost being fill, make us all to do your will;
Goodness you alone can give, grant that in your grace we live.

Come, our lukewarm hearts inspire, mold our wills to your desire;
In our weakness make us strong, and amend our every wrong;
Guide us when we go astray, wash our stain of guilt away.

Give to every faithful soul, gifts of grace to make us whole;
Help us when we come to die, so that we may live on high;
Ever let your love descend, give us joys that never end.

— Anthony Petti translation of Veni Sancte Spiritus, sung commonly to the Samuel Webbe music.

The praying of the seven groups of three beads each then follows:

To conclude: