Terminology -

STANDING – The normal bodily posture at Orthodox services; kneeling being a penitential practice.

SPONSOR – (Lat. to promise) One who speaks for the person to be baptized and undertakes a certain responsibility for the faith of such person, thereby contracting spiritual relationship, commonly called “godfather” and “godmother.”  For validity sponsors must be Orthodox. The duties of sponsors are to take a permanent interest in the spiritual welfare of… Read More

SCHISM – Formal separation from the unity of the One, Holy and Apostolic Church. The Great Schism in 1054 divided the Church when the Western Patriarchate of Rome separated from the four Eastern Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem.

SCRIPTURES –  The holy and sacred Scriptures are part of the divine revelation, or deposit of faith, which, as to the Old Testament, was already in writing at the time of the Apostles, and, as to the New Testament, was committed to writing by them; the rest of the revelation was preserved by the Holy… Read More

SCUFIA – (Sl.) A head covering worn by a priest, given by the Bishop as an award for faithful service.

SEAL – (1) Any stamp or impression of a Cross, especially the central part of the prosphora. (2) The Sign of the Cross made by a Bishop or Priest with the right hand in blessing. (3) The blessing of themselves by the faithful with the Sign of the Cross.

SEE – Properly, the official ‘seat’ or ‘throne’ (cathedra) of a Bishop. This seat normally stands in the Cathedral of the Diocese; hence, the town or place where the cathedral is cated is also known as the Bishop’s See. The teritory or diocese over which a Bishop rules.

SATAN – An angelic being hostile to God; the devil.

SAKKOS (DALMATIC) -The proper Eucharistic vestment of a bishop, as the Phelonion is for the priest.

SACRILEGE – A violation or contemptuous treatment of a person, thing, or place, publicly dedicated to the worship of God. The administering or reception of sacraments in an unworthy manner is a sacrilege.

SACRAMENTAL FANS – (Sl. Ripidion, Gr .Exapteriga) Round metallic disk representing a cherub’s head surrounded by six wings, mounted on an upright shaft. Its original purpose was to keep away flies from the Holy Gifts during the anaphora. Two of these sacramental fans are usually placed in back of the altar and are carried at… Read More

SABAOTH – “The Lord of Sabaoth.” The word taken from the Hebrew, literally, means hosts or powres.

RESPONSES – The answers made by the people or the choir in the services. The people are not just to observe but to participate.

RETREAT – A period of time during which a person withdraws from his ordinary life and occupation in order to pray, meditate and receive instruction in the spiritual life.

REVELATION – (1) Making known the hidden things concerning God and His divine truths through God chosen men who put these things in writing which make up the books of the Old and the New Testaments. (2) The last Book of the New Testament, a prophetic book written by St. John the Divine. It is… Read More

REVEREND – (Lat. worthy of respect) A title applied to the clergy. Higher ranks of clergy are “Very,” and “Right” for the mitred clergy.

RIGHT REVEREND – The title given to bishops. “Most Reverend” to Archbishops and the Metropolitan.

RIPIDION – (Gr. fan) A flat metal disk representing a cherub’s head surrounded by six wings mounted upright on a shaft. There are two of them in back of the altar and they are carried at processions.

READER — A reader, also called a lector (in Greek, ??????????, anagnostis or anagnostes; in Slavonic, ?????, chtets) is one of the minor orders of the Orthodox Church, a sub-clerical order to which a man is tonsured, setting him apart as blessed by the bishop to read the epistle readings in the Divine Liturgy. He… Read More

RECTOR – (Lat. to guide, govern) A priest who is in charge of a parish and hence ex-officio head of all its organizations. He is the presiding officer at all Parish meetings, Supervisor of the Church School. These offices he may delegate to others. All work that may be done in the Parish is done… Read More

RECTORY – The residence provided for the rector.

RELICS – The bodies of saints, or particles of their bodies, which the Church venerates, because of the position of the person in sanctity and virtue and because these may bring a person to the imitation of the saint. Relics are placed in the altar at the time of consecration, and parts of relics are… Read More

REQUIEM – (Paneheda, Pannikhida) A service for the repose of the souls of the departed faithful.

RUBRICS – (Sl. Typikon) Rules for the conduct of the services of the Church. Canon law requires strict observance of the rubrics in the liturgical books for the celebration of Divine Liturgy and the administration of the Sacraments.