hagios

Hagios is a Greek term meaning holy or sacred, arising from the noun ἅγιος (hágios). In Christian usage the word functions as an honorific epithet for holy persons, especially saints, as well as for sacred places or objects. In Modern Greek and many Orthodox contexts, the masculine form is Agios or Hagios, used before a saint’s name (for example, Agios Nikolaos) or in the names of churches. The feminine form Hagia (ἁγία) appears in toponyms and in references to female saints or sacred places, such as Hagia Sophia, literally “Holy Wisdom.”

In ecclesiastical practice, hagios serves both as a status descriptor and as a substantive title. It is common to encounter phrases like “the Holy Saint” or to prefix a church’s name with hagios, indicating sanctity or reverence associated with the site, relic, or figure venerated there. The concept is closely tied to the idea of sanctity within Christian tradition and is frequently reflected in liturgical language, hagiographic literature, and church naming practices.

The term underpins a number of related scholarly terms. Hagiography, from hagios and graphein (to write), is the study or writing of the lives of saints. Hagiology denotes the broader study of saints and their veneration, while hagiographic describes works that recount saints’ lives or venerate holy figures. Although hagios is most common in Greek and Eastern Christian contexts, its linguistic descendants appear in many Western languages through calques or transliterations, preserving the root meaning of holiness.

In summary, hagios denotes holiness in Greek and serves as a foundational element in naming, liturgy, and hagiographic literature within Christian traditions.