[[Image:Pentecost.jpg|right|frame|[[Pentecost icon]] - Descent of the Holy Spirit onto the Church. ]]The '''Holy Spirit''', or '''Holy Ghost''' is [[God]], the third Person of the [[Holy Trinity]], who, from eternity, "proceeds" from the Father (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the [[Jesus Christ|Son]]. The word "Spirit" commonly translates the Greek New Testament word pneuma.

==The Holy Spirit in the New Testament==Christians believe that it was the Holy Spirit whom Jesus mentioned as the promised "Comforter" (i.e. "strengthener", "fortifier") in John 14:26. After his [[Resurrection of Jesus|resurrection]], Christ told his disciples that they would be "[[baptism|baptized]] with the Holy Ghost", and would receive power or endowment (Acts 1:4-8); a promise that was fulfilled in the events recounted in the second chapter of [[Actsof the Apostles|Acts]]. On the first [[Pentecost]], Jesus' disciples were gathered in Jerusalem when a mighty wind was heard and tongues of fire appeared over their heads. A multilingual crowd heard the disciples speaking, and each of them heard them speaking in his or her native language.

==Common Misconceptions in the West of The Holy Spirit <ref>Clark Carlton, The Truth (Salisbury, MA: Regina Orthodox Press, 1999), pp. 58-61.</ref>==In common Western Christianity (i.e. Roman Catholicism and subsequent Protestant beliefs) the power of God is considered created, and grace is considered something intrinsic to man. Orthodoxy considers the Holy Spirit to be the Power of God (i.e. His Grace). The Orthodox, however, point out that anything that existing ''before''Holy Ghostcreation ''is''God; and (as there is never a time God existed without His Power) God' was the common name for s Power is also God and, in fact, is the Holy Spirit . This has important theological implications because in English prior common Western Christianity, when God's grace comes to a person, it is God's favor, not God's Spirit by which we are saved. In fact, according to St. Seraphim of Sarov, the 20th century. It purpose of one's life is to acquire the name used Holy Spirit, for this is how believers participate in the King James Version life of God--through the Bible, and is still used by those who prefer more traditional languageindwelling of His Spirit--to become gods (John 10:34). The word (''ghostsee'' has lost its old meaning of the spirit or [[soultheosis]] )  The common Western perception is that God cannot unite Himself to a person because such would cause the person to become God. St. Gregory of Palamas's astute insight pointed out that such reasoning conflates ''who God is inside man and come '' (God's nature/essence/substance) with ''what God does'' (God's attributes). Those Western Christians who conflate these point to St. Augustine's writings for support. (It may be identified almost exclusively with the concept interpretation of disembodied spiritsAugustine's teachings, rather than the teachings themselves, usually that forms the basis of the deadconflation.<ref>Clark Carlton, The Truth (Salisbury, MA: Regina Orthodox Press, 1999), p.46.</ref>) Regardless, which may "haunt" the livingconflation accords with neither Orthodox experience (of Orthodox saints such as Sts. Gregory Palamas and Seraphim of Sarov), nor Orthodox understanding of Scripture. There is an idea far from analogy using the sun that the Orthodox use to explains this. Just as the sun can shine on and warm a seed, and just as a seed can take into itself that light and warmth, and participate with such in its life and growth, that intended by seed will ''never'' '''''become''''' the sun. The point is this: One can experience the light (Son) and warmth (Holy Spirit) of God (the Father) and not become God, but nonetheless respond to the Trinity and evidence Him through one's existence and growth. The more the light and warmth enter the person, the King James translatorsmore one grows and glorifies God (''see'' [[theosis]]). Growth cannot happen without God, and one must be filled with His Spirit in order to grow in His Likeness.(''see'' [[Trinity]] for a differentiation of Image & Likeness)

==Published works==*Burgess, Stanley M. ''The Holy Spirit is often depicted as a dove: Ancient Christian Traditions''. (ISBN 0913573108)*Burgess, based on the account of the Stanley M. ''The Holy Spirit descending on Jesus : Eastern Christian Traditions''. (ISBN 0913573817)*Kydd, Ronald. ''Charismatic Gifts in the form of a dove when he was baptized in Early Church: An Exploration into the Jordan River. The book Gifts of Acts describes the Holy Spirit descending on During the [[apostle]]s at Pentecost in the form First Three Centuries of a wind and tongues of fire resting over the apostlesChristian Church'' heads. Based on the imagery in that account, the Holy Spirit is sometimes symbolized by a flame of fire.(ISBN 0913573094)  {{Orthodoxchristianity/wide}}