Septuagesima.--The name given to the third Sunday before Lent. The explanation of this name for this Sunday has been given as follows: "There being exactly fifty days between the Sunday next {240} before Lent and Easter Day inclusive, that Sunday is termed _Quinquagesima_, _i.e._, the fiftieth; and the two Sundays immediately preceding are called from the next round numbers, _Sexagesima_, _i.e._, sixtieth, and _Septuagesima_, _i.e._, the seventieth." The reason for thus numbering these Sundays has been beautifully set forth in "Thoughts on the Services" as follows: "The Church now (Septuagesima Sunday) enters the penumbra of her Lenten Eclipse, and all her services are shadowed with the sombre hue of her approaching Season of humiliation. . . .We have turned our back upon dear old Christmas and the group of holy days that hand in hand seemed fairly to dance around it; and setting our faces towards the more sober, but still more glorious, light of Easter we begin to number the days of preparation, which if duly observed will fit us to keep the Paschal as the Apostle commands, 'not with the old leaven. . .but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.'" (See PRE-LENTEN SEASON.) Server.--One who attends the Priest at a celebration of the Holy Communion. The server may be either a layman or one of the Clergy. Sexagesima.--The second Sunday before Lent is so called, because it is about sixty days before Easter; _Sexagesima_ meaning sixtieth. (See SEPTUAGESIMA.) Sexts.--One of the seven CANONICAL HOURS (which see). Shell.--(See BAPTISMAL SHELL.) Shrove Tuesday.--The old name given to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, because on that day every one was accustomed to go to the Priest before {241} beginning the observance of Lent, to be shrived, shriven, shrove, _i.e._, to confess and be absolved. Certain social customs have been popularly connected with this day, making it a day of merriment and sports and dining on pancakes or fritters. The practice of eating pancakes on this day still survives in many places, and hence it is also called Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day. Sick.--(See VISITATION OF THE SICK.) Sign of the Cross.--(See CROSS, THE.)