Religious Symbolism

Taken from an article by Orion

"Most of us are familiar with the ancient Sumarian and Hebrew myth of the great flood and the building of an ark to save the animals from the divine wrath that caused the flood. In the most ancient accounts, adapted later by the early Christian church and persisting to this day, it is the dove that brings the news that the flood is over. She returns to the ark with an olive branch in her beak, signifying peace between the beings of the Earth and the divine."

Biblical References

Genesis 9:10-11
After the great flood, Noah sent out a dove. When the dove returned with an olive leaf, it symbolized the end of troubled times, a new purity, and God's peace with humanity. It represented hope and a new beginning: Peace on Earth, goodwill toward man.

Revelations 5:12
The letters SS stand for Spiriti Sancti or Holy Spirit. This image of seven doves surrounding the letters SS symbolizes the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (depending on your translation ):
Power, Wealth, Wisdom, Strength, Honor, Glory, and (Praise or Blessings) or
Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord religionfacts.com.

Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22
At Jesus's baptism, the Lord appeared as a dove descending from the heavens. The dove descending is a symbol of the Holy Spirit out poured. As shown here, with three pronged halo, it is also a symbol of the Trinity reaching down from heaven to mankind.

Christian Legends

There is an old story about 12 angels that brought 12 gifts to the Christ child. They were the gifts of Hope and Joy, Wonder and Praise, Peace and Benevolence, Comfort and Faith, Perseverance and Strength, Love and Grace. A twelve dove release would celebrate those gifts.

Islam

When Muhammad learned that others were plotting his death, he fled out of Mecca. He hid in a cave, where his pursuers caught up to him. But Allah had caused a spider to build a web over the entrance to the cave and a dove to nest in a tree covering the entrance, so the would-be killers believed no one could be hiding in the cave. After his pursuers left, he escaped to Medina.

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