(Greek: gifts)
A theological term designating certain extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, granted to individual Christians, not for their personal sanctification, but for the spiritual advantage of others. Saint Paul enumerates most of them in 1 Corinthians 12: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, the grace of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the discerning of spirits, the gift of tongues, interpretation of speeches, and the charismata of apostles, prophets, doctors, helps, governments. They were especially common in the early Church, and were signal aids in the rapid propagation of the Christian religion. Nor have they ever been entirely absent from the Church of Christ, as is evident from the acts of beatification and canonization of saints.