The association of a dove with the Holy Spirit comes from the Christian New Testament. Here's the breakdown:
* The Baptism of Jesus: In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, when Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit descends upon him "like a dove" (or "in bodily form like a dove" in Luke). This event is a key moment of revelation where the Holy Spirit visibly identifies Jesus as the Son of God.
* Symbolism: Doves are often associated with peace, purity, and innocence. These characteristics align with the traditional understanding of the Holy Spirit's nature and role in Christian theology.
* Visual Representation: Over time, the dove became a common visual symbol for the Holy Spirit in Christian art and iconography. This representation reinforces the connection established in the baptism narratives.
Therefore, the dove is not *called* the Holy Spirit in the sense of being its name, but it serves as a symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit rooted in the account of Jesus's baptism and its associated imagery of peace, purity, and divine presence.