The flower of the Holy Spirit, with photos

By Dr. Jeff Mirus ( bio - articles - email ) | Oct 03, 2016

Here is a little instant inspiration, in the form of a particular type of orchid found in Central and South America. Named “The Flower of the Holy Spirit”, this orchid looks like praying monks before blooming, and then opens into a flower that in many cases looks remarkably like a dove.

My wife found this online yesterday. It’s another one of God’s incomparable gifts, and a beautiful thing to share.

Note: In 2019, an alert reader reported, based on Wikipedia, that these pictures are actually of the Egret Orchid, not the Holy Spirit Orchid. Either way, it is an inspiration.

Jeffrey Mirus holds a Ph.D. in intellectual history from Princeton University. A co-founder of Christendom College, he also pioneered Catholic Internet services. He is the founder of Trinity Communications and CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.

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