Sabas

Sinai Monk

Sabbas

A Hermit

Scenae Frons

Architectural background, based on the scenery of the Roman theatre

Schema

Name given to icons of a similar nature

Sebaste panel

Famous Icon, now in Berlin, depicting the Forty Martyrs of the Sebaste who were put to death by exposure in icy water

Sella curulis

A Roman Seat

Septagon

Seven Sided

Septimus Severus

Roman Emperor (193-211). Depicted on the most famous funerary art, believed to have heavily influenced the visual appearance of iconography.

Sergiusi

Patriarch. During the defence of Constantinople in 626 gave orders that the Virgin with Christ was to be painted on all the gates on the West side of the city

Servuc Christi

Description of Justinian II on coins between 685-695 and 705-711

Severian of Galla

d. after 408. One of the first to record the true function of an icon, referring to an image of Constantine. " The image of the emperor replaces him while absent… and the people revere it, honouring not the image but the person of the Emperor

Soldier Saints

George, Procopius, Theodore and Demetrius

Sopocani

Monastery in Serbia

Sotir

Saviour'

Squinches

Small arches built across the corners of a rectangular structure to convert the upper part to an octagon, or circle.

St Antipas

First Century Martyr venerated as the first Bishop of Pergamus

St Apollinaire Nuevo

Church in Ravenna

St Apollininare

Church in Classe, Nr Ravenna

St Augustine

(5thC) Opposed to the depiction of the Divinity. Tells of Marcellina who worshipped Christ, St Paul, Homer and Pythagoras, burning incense before their images

St Basil

330-379 Greek Church Father

St Catherines

Mount Sinai Monastery

St Demetrius

A soldier Saint - Patron Saint of Thessalonika

St Demetrios

Church in Thessalonika

St George

A soldier Saint

St Gregory of Nazianzus

329-389.

St Hermylos

Drowned (Calendar Icon, Sinai)

St John Chrysotom

Greek Church Father

St John Climacus

Abbot of Mount Sinai Monastery who wrote a treatise at the end of the sixth century about the virtues and vices in thirty chapters. Symbolised in iconography by the heavenly ladder of divine ascent - with the thirty rungs a monk must climb to reach heaven

St John of Dam

Wrote a description of the icon as a resemblance of the subject, showing his bodily features but not his spiritual qualities.

St Maria

loc. Trastevere

St Michael

Archangel. Feast Day September 6th, celebrating the miracle at Chone

St Pancras

Martyred in 304

St Sava

The first Serbian Archbishop

St Simeon

(Stefan Nemanja) Father of St Sava and the first Serbian Saint. Founder of the Royal Nemanjic Dynasty

St Stratonikos

Drowned (Calendar Icon, Sinai)

St Tatiana

Died by the Sword (Calendar Icon, Sinai)

St Theodore

A soldier Saint

St Theodore Teron

Burned to death (Calendar Icon, Sinai)

St Timothy

Beaten to death (Calendar Icon, Sinai)

Sta Maria Antiqua

Roman centre of icon painting

Steatite

Stone, used for carved icon in place of Ivory

Stephanos

One of the earliest known signed icons - around 1200ad is by Stephanos. The icon is from St Catherine's

Straight entablature

Rows of columns supporting arches dividing the nave of a church from the aisles

Stroganov Painters Manual

Late 19th Century Russian treatise on icon painting

Stucco

Plaster or cement coating over stone or brick.

Suppedaneum

The supporting ledge on the cross, on which Christ stood during crucifixion.

Synaxis

An assembly usually of the Apostles, or of the Archangels - a feast celebrated in the Orthodox Church on November 8. In Greek churches, a public meeting for worship.

Synthronon

Benches reserved for the clergy

Tablion

the inset square in a chlmays, a ceremonial garment

Tempera

Pigments of paint contained in a medium of egg yolk, mixed with, (or tempered by) water. It I fast to dry and gives a hard, translucent finish

Templon

A wooden panel extending the length of the architrave beam.

Tepidarium

Room in a Roman Baths between the hot and cold in temperature

Terre Verte

Flaming Vermilion' Colour made from mercuric sulphide

Tesserae

Small cubes of coloured marble, stone or glass from which a mosaic is made

Tetrapyle

having four gateways

Tetrarchy

Government by four rulers governing four different areas of the same state at the same time

Thekma

(60) The teaching that Christ had two natures but one divine will, proposed by Patriarch Serguis I.

Theodora

Mother of Emperor Michael III, she officially proclaimed the establishment of the cult of icons in 843 brining an end to the age of iconoclasm. 'The Triumph of Orthodoxy'

Theodore Metochies

Humanist, d.1335

Theodore of Antioch

Church Historian d. 466

Theodore Poulakis

Icon Painter - 17th Century Italo-Greek

Theodore Suncellus

An eyewitness to the siege of Constantinople in 626

Theodosius

In the 6th Century he prayed to the figure and face of Christ impressed on a pillar in Jerusalem.

Theodosius II, Emperor

(379-395), noted opponent of pagan cults

Theologian

Student or teacher of Christianity

Theophanes the Greek (Cretan)

Icon Painter. Actually came from Constantinople. See links

Theophilactus Simocrates

Early 7th Century Byzantine Chronicler. recorder that in 586 an archeiropoietos was raised in battle against the Persians on the River Arzamon

Theotokos

the Virgin, the Mother of God

Thermae

Roman Baths or springs often grand in scale

Thorakion

Shield-like drapery, clothing of an empress

Timotheos

Bishop featuring in Sinai Koimesis Icon

Tondus, tondi, tondo

Circular painting or relief

Transept

In a cruciform church, the 'arms of the cross'. The section of the church projecting to the north and south which separates the choir or apse from the nave.

Transfiguration

Christ's appearance in radiant glory to three of His disciples

Trefoil

A symmetrical shape formed by three lobes

Trier Psalter

Miniature icon from Pecher to which further miniatures were added whilst in the possession of Gertrude, wife of Grand Prince Izyaslav of Vishgorod

Triptych

An icon in three parts or three icons joined or hinged together to form a complete work

Tufa

Common Roman Building stone. Volcanic with a coarse, porous texture.

Tympanum

Space between the lintel of a doorway and the arch above it

Typikon

A rule or method. A typikon dictated how icons were arranged in a church and varied according to region

Umileniye

(Russian - merciful or compassionate) Icon of the Virgin and Child where the baby Jesus presses His cheek against the cheek of His Mother.

V/VI Council

Held in Constantinople in 692, decreed that artists should not depict John the Baptist pointing at a lamb, but in future should depict Christ in human form

Vault

Stone roof or ceiling

Virgin Glykophilonsa

Type of Icon - information required.

Virgin of Vladimir

The holiest and possibly most famous icon of Russia, yet painted in Constantinople around 1131.

Virgin Orant

Icon - Now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Vishgorod

(Kiev)

Vladimir-Suzdal

School of icon painting, reflecting the Greek idea of the icon as a reflection of the otherworldly

Volumen

Scroll

Voussoirs

Wedge shaped blocks forming an arch

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