Abstract
In the context of discussion on the sacrament of Confirmation, the patristic teaching on the Holy Spirit is exemplified in two pivotal authors: Irenaeus of Lyon (d. 202) and Augustine of Hippo (354-430). Their view on the activity of the Holy Spirit in the history of salvation from the creation of the world until the fulfilment of human destiny in Christ's glory is presented.
The points of contact of the doctrine of both Church Fathers are individualised and it is demonstrated that Augustine's theology, often regarded as static and influenced by philosophy, did not loose anything from the freshness of the theological perspective of the first centuries, being focused on the history of salvation. The crucial role of the Holy Spirit in the theology of both writers proves to be fundamental even for the current conjunction of theology and Christian life, whose bond is the Holy Spirit.