Terminology - Glossary S

SANCTIFICATION – 1) Literally, “being set apart” to God. The process of growth in Christ whereby the believer is made holy as God is holy, through the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1; Rom. 6:22; Rom. 15:16). See also DEIFICATION, JUSTIFICATION and SALVATION. 2) (an appellation or Title of Jesus)  “But of him are ye in… Read More

SANCTUARY – 1) The Holy of Holies or Most Holy Place – the place in the Old Testament tabernacle or temple containing the ark of the covenant, the dwelling place of God. Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place and only on the Day of Atonement. When the early Christians built churches,… Read More

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

SATURDAY – Even during the non-lenten season, is the Church’s day for remembering the dead. This is so because Saturday, the Sabbath Day, stands as the day which God blessed for life in this world. Because of sin, however, this day now symbolizes all of earthly life as naturally fulfilled in death. Even Christ the… Read More

SAVIOUR – (an appellation or Title of Jesus)  “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through… Read More

SCEPTRE – (an appellation or Title of Jesus)  “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.” Num 24:17  … 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.

SCOBA – Founded in 1960, the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), brings together the canonical hierarchs of Orthodox jurisdictions in the Americas. The purpose of the Standing Conference is to create and foster ties of unity among the canonical Orthodox Churches and administrations for a stronger and more visible… Read More

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.

SECOND COMING – At the end of the ages, Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead. Following the judgment, a new heaven and new earth will take the place of the old earth, which has been scarred by sin. Because Christ is already present through the Church, Christians enter into the… Read More

SECOND MAN, THE – (an appellation or Title of Jesus)  “The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” 1 Cor 15:47

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.

SEED OF DAVID – (an appellation or Title of Jesus)  “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:” 2 Tim 2:8

SEED OF WOMAN – (an appellation or Title of Jesus) Jesus Christ is called the seed of woman because He was born on earth without man, from the Most Holy Virgin Mary. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and… Read More

SEMINARY – A school of higher learning exclusively devoted to the training of candidates for the priesthood.

SEPTUAGINT – The Septuagint (LXX) is the name given to the Greek translation of the Jewish Scriptures. The Septuagint has its origin in Alexandria, Egypt and was translated between 300-200 BC. Widely used among Hellenistic Jews, this Greek translation was produced because many Jews spread throughout the empire were beginning to lose their Hebrew language…. Read More

SEPTUAGINT (LXX) NUMBERING OF PSALMS – The Orthodox Church uses primarily translations from the Greek version of the Old Testament known as the Septuagint rather than translations from the Hebrew editions. The Septuagint (also known as the LXX) is the version of the Old Testament used in the many quotations of the Old Testament found… Read More

SERAPHIM – A category of angelic beings.  The six-winged Seraphim are the angels closest to God (Isaiah 6:2) who, due to their closeness to God, resemble fire (Hebrews 12:29; Daniel 7:9; Exodus 24:17; Psalms 103:4). Due to this closeness to God, and their appearance, they were given the name ‘seraphim‘, which in Hebrew means ‘flaming‘…. Read More

SERMON – A discourse usually based upon a text from the Bible and delivered from the Ambo to give religious instruction, to preach the Word of God, to proclaim the Gospel.

SERMON ON THE MOUNT – a distillation of the Gospel in its entirety, all that is essential for every Christian to know and to do. The Evangelist St. Matthew recorded what appears to be the entirety of the sermon, in the 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of his Gospel, and the Evangelist Luke gives several… Read More

SERVANT – (an appellation or Title of Jesus)  “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” Isa 42:1 “Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth,… Read More

SERVICE BOOKS – They are special books containing the hymns or the services of the Orthodox Church. There are eight as follows: Gospel (Evangelion), Book of Epistles (Apostolos), Psalter (Octoechos or paraklitiki), Triodion, Pentecostarion, Twelve Menaia, Horologion, and Service or Liturgy book (Euchologio or Ieratiko). Service Book or Ieratikon or Litourgikon or Euchologio. (Sl. Sluzhebnik)…. Read More