archaic religious phrase: Does plural refer to relics, collection of relics?

[Timothy D. Sergay]

Dear colleagues,
    I certainly can't claim expertise, but I'm starting to suspect the sense 
of the plural "sancta" in "Sancta Santorum" (and by parallel the plural 
"sviataia" in "sviatia sviatykh") is "relics"; cf. descriptions of the Scala 
Santa "(Holy Staircase) "According to tradition, these are the 28 marble 
steps from the palace in Jerusalem that Jesus had to climb to reach Pontius 
Pilate. The steps are now covered by protective wood and lead to the Sancta 
Santorum, so called for the numerous holy relics kept here". Or this one, on 
"relics": Rome, naturally, claims ownership of many relics of the Passion. 
The "Scala Sancta," or holy stairs, an impressive 28 steps of white marble, 
taken from Pilate's palace and brought back to Italy-don't ask me how-by St 
Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, can still be seen in the Lateran 
District, inside the aptly named Sancta Sanctorum." I just can't figure out 
the understood antecedent noun for "sancta" used substantively. Both 
exsequiae and reliquiae (Latin terms for "relics") look feminine to me (like 
"moshchi"). Yes, it's been too long since Latin class. Hope someone else can 
help soon.

Tim Sergay





From: "Prof Steven P Hill" <s-hill4 at UIUC.EDU>
To: <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 2:54 AM
Subject: [SEELANGS] archaic religious phrase (cont.)


> Dear colleagues:
>
> In case no one already mentioned it, let me  toss in also a parallel with 
> the Latin "sancta
> sanctorum" ("holy of holies"), which is also neuter plural. --Steven P 
> Hill, Univ. of Illinois.
> _ __ __ __ __ _ __ __ __ __ __
>
> Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 02:41:28
> From: <LISTSERV at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
> Subject: Re: GETPOST SEELANGS
> To: Steven Hill <S-HILL4 at UIUC.EDU>
> Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2006 18:39:25 -0800
> From: Jules Levin <ameliede at EARTHLINK.NET>
> Subject: question regarding R, RCS, or OCS (?)
>
> I occasionally worship in a synagogue that offers, optionally,
> a Russian-Hebrew bilingual prayer book in addition to the usual
> English-Hebrew or all Hebrew prayer books.
> I have noticed that a Hebrew phrase translated into English as
> Holy of Holies appears in the Russian as "svjataja svjatyx".   Trouble
> [ .... ]
> _ __ __ __ __ _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
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