White dove meaning: symbol of peace, love and the divine

Let's start with a curiosity: the white dove is not, strictly speaking, a species. In everyday language, it is the white form of the rock pigeon or of the domestic dove. But since Antiquity, the dove, and even more so the white dove, has carried immense symbolism.

Love, peace, a link with the divine: what does the dove mean, and what message does it bring you? Here are the answers.

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The dove, a symbol of love and faithfulness

Since Antiquity, the dove has been the attribute of Aphrodite, goddess of love. In the Middle Ages, it symbolized courtly love: a modest and above all faithful love, because the dove always returns to its home.

At some weddings, two white doves are still released to symbolize the couple's flight into their new life together. Sometimes three doves fly away to bless the newlyweds, echoing the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And as at the Olympic Games ceremonies, a dove taking flight celebrates love, peace and hope.

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The white dove, messenger of peace

The dove is above all a symbol of peace, because it appears in the Bible as the waters recede: it returns to Noah with an olive branch in its beak, announcing the end of the Flood and the return of calm. It is therefore also the one who brings light and hope.

In the Gospels, it is in the form of a dove that the Holy Spirit descends on Christ at his baptism: it becomes the ambassador of the divine, the link between heaven and earth. And in the 20th century, the dove Picasso drew for the 1949 Peace Congress made it the universal emblem of peace.

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The dove across cultures

Throughout the world and the ages, the dove has touched people's hearts. In the Muslim tradition, two doves are said to have nested at the entrance of the cave of Thawr, where the Prophet had taken refuge, to mislead his pursuers: there, it is a protector. For many Native American peoples, it is a benevolent spirit guide, showing the way to one's inner truth.

Its whiteness sets it against the black of the crow. In the Middle Ages, the Church taught that the souls of the righteous flew up to heaven in the form of a dove. That is why it also appears around death: not as a symbol of the end, but as the soul taking flight and peace regained.

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When a dove crosses your path

When a dove appears in your daily life, it is never quite by chance. It often comes to you in moments of questioning or transition, as a reminder that you are guided and protected. Sometimes it appears right after a prayer or a request to the universe, as a confirmation that your message has been heard.

Seeing doves billing and cooing as a wedding approaches is an excellent omen: the union will be happy and the feelings sincere. And meeting a dove in a moment of doubt heralds serenity and inner peace to come.

• Take a break: breathe deeply and reconnect with your inner peace.
• Write down your current question: the dove often comes as an answer.
• Make peace with someone, or with yourself: that is its strongest message.

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