It is the prayer before an exam, a job interview, or a decision that keeps us awake at night. But who is the Holy Spirit? In the Catholic faith, He is the third person of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God. Jesus promised Him to His apostles, and they received Him at Pentecost. Simply put, He is God acting within us: the one who helps us pray, understand, choose well, and never give up. Here we explain His 7 gifts and 12 fruits, along with the most commonly prayed prayers.
Looking for the full prayers? You can find them all, with the complete text and when to pray each one (Cardinal Verdier's, the "Come, Creator Spirit" that Saint John Paul II prayed, his Jubilee prayer, Father Kentenich's, the consecration to the Holy Spirit...), in Prayers to the Holy Spirit.
Prayers to the Holy Spirit
"Come, Holy Spirit," the traditional prayer
It is the best-known and shortest. It is prayed at the beginning of a meeting, a class, or the day. This is the usual Spanish version (some words may vary depending on the parish):
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
V. Send, Lord, Your Spirit.
R. That He may renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray: O God, who illuminated the hearts of Your faithful with the light of the Holy Spirit; grant that, guided by that same Spirit, we may discern rightly and always enjoy His comfort. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Cardinal Verdier's prayer
It is attributed to Jean Verdier (1864-1940), who was the Archbishop of Paris. It is very short, fits on a card, and is perfect for praying before working or studying:
O Holy Spirit, Love of the Father and the Son, always inspire me what I should think, what I should say, how I should say it, what I should keep silent about, how I should act, what I should do, for the glory of God, the good of souls, and my own sanctification. Amen.
The long version, with the request "give me sharpness to understand...", is in our prayers to the Holy Spirit.
Saint John Paul II's prayer to the Holy Spirit
Saint John Paul II wrote it for 1998, the second year of preparation for the Great Jubilee of 2000, which he dedicated precisely to the Holy Spirit. It begins thus: "Holy Spirit, sweet guest of the soul, show us the deep meaning of the great jubilee...", and repeats as a refrain "Come, Spirit of love and peace!". You can find it complete in Prayers to the Holy Spirit, along with the "Come, Creator Spirit" that he prayed every day, and also on the Holy See website.
Saint Josemaría's prayer
Saint Josemaría Escrivá composed a prayer to the Holy Spirit in April 1934 that begins "Come, O Holy Spirit!". It is prayed a lot during the novena that prepares for Pentecost. The full text is on the Opus Dei website.
"Come, Divine Spirit": the Pentecostal Sequence
Many times it is searched for as "prayer to the Holy Spirit come Divine Spirit", but it is actually a sequence: a medieval hymn, in Latin Veni, Sancte Spiritus, that the Church sings or reads at the Mass on Pentecost Sunday, before the Gospel. Its first verse says: "Come, Divine Spirit, send Your light from heaven". Many people also pray it in the days leading up to Pentecost.
The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit
They come from a prophecy of Isaiah about the Messiah (Is 11,1-2). In the Hebrew text there are six; the Greek and Latin translations added piety, and thus they became seven. The Catechism lists them in number 1831 and explains that the gifts make us docile to what God inspires us:
- Wisdom: to savor the things of God and look at life through His eyes.
- Understanding (the Catechism calls it intelligence): to understand inwardly what we believe, not just repeat it.
- Counsel: to make the right decisions, the big ones and the everyday ones.
- Fortitude: to endure when it is difficult and not abandon what is good.
- Knowledge: to value every created thing in its proper measure, without deifying it.
- Piety: to treat God with the confidence of children and others as brothers.
- Fear of God: it is not fear; it is not wanting to separate ourselves from the one who loves us so much.
To ask for them one by one, you have the prayer for the seven gifts in Prayers to the Holy Spirit.
The 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit
According to the Catechism (n. 1832), the tradition of the Church lists twelve: charity, joy, peace, patience, long-suffering, kindness, gentleness, meekness, fidelity, modesty, continence, and chastity.
Why is it sometimes spoken of nine? Because Saint Paul, in the letter to the Galatians (Ga 5,22-23), names nine: love, joy, peace, patience, amiability, kindness, fidelity, meekness, and self-control. The list of twelve comes from the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, which is the one cited by the Catechism.
Difference between gifts and fruits
An image helps to understand it: a sailboat. The gifts are the sails: permanent dispositions that prepare us to let ourselves be carried by the wind of the Spirit. The fruits are the journey: what is noticeable on the outside when we let ourselves be carried, that peace or that patience that others perceive. Pope Francis summarized it thus in a 2024 catechesis: the fruits are born from the collaboration between the grace of God and our freedom.
Charisms, in a few words
Charisms are something else. The Catechism (n. 799) defines them as "graces of the Holy Spirit", extraordinary or simple, that are given for the good of the whole Church and of others, not as a personal reward. A gift of teaching, of caring for the sick, of accompanying... The Spirit distributes them as He wishes.
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit"
It is the formula of the sign of the cross and that of baptism, because Jesus commanded to baptize "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28,19). In Latin it is said: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen. Every time we make the sign of the cross, we name the Holy Spirit without realizing it.
The Holy Spirit and Confirmation
Confirmation is the sacrament of the Holy Spirit. The Catechism says that its effect is "the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit", as at Pentecost (n. 1302), and that "it increases in us the gifts of the Holy Spirit" (n. 1303). That is why, when someone is confirmed, the seven gifts stop being a list learned in catechesis and become something of their own.
And a date to mark: Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after Easter Sunday. In 2027, Easter falls on March 28, so Pentecost will be Sunday, May 16, 2027.
What to give for a Confirmation
For us, the answer is a medal. Not as an amulet, but as a way to always carry faith with you and always carry its devotion: every time you touch it, you remember to pray. A cross, a Virgin of the family or a patron saint, hung near the heart, becomes a silent "Come, Holy Spirit" for everyday life.
A detail you will love: for every order we write by hand, free of charge, a card with the message you put in the profile. We suggest writing one of the gifts: "May the gift of fortitude always accompany you" or "May the Holy Spirit give you wisdom and counsel". All our medals are handmade in Spain, they have a 40 + 5 cm gold-plated chain and come wrapped for gifting.
Khartes Medals
A medal for their Confirmation
To always carry faith with you: every time you touch it, a prayer.
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If you are still undecided between a cross, a Virgin, or a saint, we help you in our guide what to give for a Confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Wisdom, understanding (or intelligence), counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of God. The Catechism lists them in number 1831, based on Isaiah 11,1-2.
What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
According to the tradition of the Church (Catechism, n. 1832) there are twelve: charity, joy, peace, patience, long-suffering, kindness, gentleness, meekness, fidelity, modesty, continence, and chastity. Saint Paul names nine in Galatians 5,22-23.
What prayer is prayed to the Holy Spirit?
The best-known is "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love". Also very commonly prayed are the prayer attributed to Cardinal Verdier, that of Saint John Paul II, that of Saint Josemaría, and the Pentecostal Sequence, "Come, Divine Spirit". You can find them complete in Prayers to the Holy Spirit.
When is Pentecost 2027?
Sunday, May 16, 2027, fifty days after Easter Sunday, which in 2027 is March 28.
Facts you can check
- Gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit: Catechism, n. 1830-1832. Source
- Effects of Confirmation: Catechism, n. 1302-1303. Source
- Charisms: Catechism, n. 799-800. Source
- Saint John Paul II's prayer for the second year of preparation for the Great Jubilee of 2000. Source
- Pope Francis's catechesis on the fruits of the Holy Spirit (November 27, 2024). Source
Praying and wearing the medal go hand in hand: one reminds us of the other. The most beautiful medals in the world are at Khartes. And if you want to see how we wear them, we wait for you on Instagram, at @khartesmadrid.
Marian and Bárbara