Sanctum sanctorum

The Latin phrase sanctum sanctorum is a Latin translation of the biblical term "Holy of Holies" which generally refers in Latin texts to the Holiest place of the Tabernacle of Ancient Israel and later the Temples in Jerusalem, but also has some derivative use in application to imitations of the Tabernacle in church architecture.

The Latin word sanctum is the neuter form of the adjective "holy," and sanctorum its genitive plural. Thus the term sanctum sanctorum literally means "the holy [place/thing] of the holy [places/things]," replicating in Latin the Hebrew construction for the superlative, with the intended meaning "the most holy [place/thing]."

The plural form sancta sanctorum is also used, arguably as a synecdoche referring to the holy relics contained in the sanctuary. The Vulgate translation of the Bible uses Sancta sanctorum for the Holy of Holies. Hence the derivative usage to denote the Sancta Sanctorum chapel in the complex of St John Lateran, Rome.

Use of the term in modern languages

Sanctum Sanctorum

The Sanctum Sanctorum is a fictional building appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

It first appeared with Doctor Strange in his debut in Strange Tales #110 (July 1963). The details of the building have varied by artist, with one reviewer noting for example of Marvel Premiere #3 (July 1972) that "[n]ot since the heady days of Ditko for instance, did the doctor's sanctum sanctorum appear in such scrumptious detail, laden it seemed, with the heavy odor of burning incense".

Location

The Sanctum Sanctorum is a three-story townhouse located at 177A Bleecker Street, "in the heart of New York City's Greenwich Village", a reference to the address of an apartment shared in the 1960s by Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich. In the comics, the building was said to have been built upon the site of pagan sacrifices, and before that Native American rituals, and is a focal point for supernatural energies.

Images of the Sanctum Sanctorum and its real life facade can be seen on the Watha T. Daniel Library Blog as well as the DE/VL Design Blog.

Doctor Strange

Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange, best known under his alias Doctor Strange, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Strange Tales #110 (July 1963). A former doctor, Strange serves as the Sorcerer Supreme, the primary protector of Earth against magical and mystical threats. Debuting in the Silver Age of comics, the character has been featured in several eponymous comics series and adapted in a variety of media including video games, an animated television show, and films.

In 2012, Doctor Strange was ranked 33rd in IGN's list of "The Top 50 Avengers". A Marvel Studios live-action film adaptation starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role is set for a 2016 theatrical release.

Publication history

Creation

Artist Steve Ditko and scriptwriter Stan Lee have described the character as having been originally the idea of Ditko, who wrote in 2008, "On my own, I brought in to Lee a five-page, penciled story with a page/panel script of my idea of a new, different kind of character for variety in Marvel Comics. My character wound up being named Dr. Strange because he would appear in Strange Tales." In a 1963 letter to Jerry Bails, Lee called the character Ditko's idea, saying,

Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch CBE (born 19 July 1976) is an English actor and film producer who has performed in film, television, theatre and radio. The son of actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham, he graduated from the University of Manchester and continued his training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, obtaining a Master of Arts in Classical Acting. He first performed at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park in Shakespearean productions such as Love's Labour's Lost (2001), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2001), and Romeo and Juliet (2002). He also portrayed George Tesman in Richard Eyre's revival of Hedda Gabler in 2005 and since then has starred in the Royal National Theatre productions After the Dance (2010) and Frankenstein (2011). In 2015, he played William Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Barbican Theatre.

Cumberbatch's television work includes appearances in Heartbeat (2000), Silent Witness (2002) and Fortysomething (2003) before starring as Stephen Hawking in the television film Hawking in 2004. He has played Sherlock Holmes in the series Sherlock since 2010. He has also starred in Tom Stoppard's adaptation of Parade's End (2012), as well as providing the voices of the British Prime Minister and Severus Snape on an episode of the animated series The Simpsons (2013).

Sanctum

A sanctum is a holy site.

Other uses of the term include:

See also