The Logo of St. Stephen's University
St. Stephen's University adopted our new logo below in 2023 when we officially became a graduate school of theology, peace and reconciliation. The logo is meant to symbolize and reflect our faith identity and commitment to academic rigour and values of justice, beauty, & compassion.
SCROLL DOWN AND HOVER OVER THE VARIOUS PARTS OF OUR LOGO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM.
IC XC NIKA books
The two books represent academic studies and illuminating knowledge at SSU and the two testaments of the Christian Scriptures, in which Christ is revealed through a Christotelic reading of the Hebrew Scriptures and fully in the New Testament as the "image of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15) and "the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being" (Heb. 1:3) who conquers death and therein clears the path for our union with God.
Deacon's Orarion
In ancient liturgical contexts, a deacon wore a stole called an orarion, which symbolizes the towel that Jesus used to wash the feet of his disciples. This reflects SSU's commitment to kenotic service to the least of these. It is also a nod to our patron, St. Stephen, deacon and
protomartyr.
The two books overlaid on top of the orarion are meant to reflect our hope for a symbiosis between what we study and how we live in kenotic humility.
The triquetra in the orarion represents the Trinity and our partners and friends in Ireland and Scotland (where we travel for our study abroad trips) and emphasis on an "earthier" Celtic spirituality of the ordinary and experience of thin spaces in which we catch glimpses of communion with the Triune Godhead.
Deacon's Orarion
In ancient liturgical contexts, a deacon wore a stole called an orarion, which symbolizes the towel that Jesus used to wash the feet of his disciples. This reflects SSU's commitment to kenotic service to the least of these. It is also a nod to our patron, St. Stephen, deacon and
protomartyr.
The two books overlaid on top of the orarion are meant to reflect our hope for a symbiosis between what we study and how we live in kenotic humility.
The triquetra in the orarion represents the Trinity and our partners and friends in Ireland and Scotland (where we travel for our study abroad trips) and emphasis on an "earthier" Celtic spirituality of the ordinary and experience of thin spaces in which we catch glimpses of communion with the Triune Godhead.
Deacon's Orarion
In ancient liturgical contexts, a deacon wore a stole called an orarion, which symbolizes the towel that Jesus used to wash the feet of his disciples. This reflects SSU's commitment to kenotic service to the least of these. It is also a nod to our patron, St. Stephen, deacon and
protomartyr.
The two books overlaid on top of the orarion are meant to reflect our hope for a symbiosis between what we study and how we live in kenotic humility.
The triquetra in the orarion represents the Trinity and our partners and friends in Ireland and Scotland (where we travel for our study abroad trips) and emphasis on an "earthier" Celtic spirituality of the ordinary and experience of thin spaces in which we catch glimpses of communion with the Triune Godhead.
Deacon's Orarion
In ancient liturgical contexts, a deacon wore a stole called an orarion, which symbolizes the towel that Jesus used to wash the feet of his disciples. This reflects SSU's commitment to kenotic service to the least of these. It is also a nod to our patron, St. Stephen, deacon and
protomartyr.
The two books overlaid on top of the orarion are meant to reflect our hope for a symbiosis between what we study and how we live in kenotic humility.
The triquetra in the orarion represents the Trinity and our partners and friends in Ireland and Scotland (where we travel for our study abroad trips) and emphasis on an "earthier" Celtic spirituality of the ordinary and experience of thin spaces in which we catch glimpses of communion with the Triune Godhead.
Deacon's Orarion
In ancient liturgical contexts, a deacon wore a stole called an orarion, which symbolizes the towel that Jesus used to wash the feet of his disciples. This reflects SSU's commitment to kenotic service to the least of these. It is also a nod to our patron, St. Stephen, deacon and
protomartyr.
The two books overlaid on top of the orarion are meant to reflect our hope for a symbiosis between what we study and how we live in kenotic humility.
The triquetra in the orarion represents the Trinity and our partners and friends in Ireland and Scotland (where we travel for our study abroad trips) and emphasis on an "earthier" Celtic spirituality of the ordinary and experience of thin spaces in which we catch glimpses of communion with the Triune Godhead.
Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)
When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him, he declared, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn. 1:29). This is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8) who incarnates the values of justice, beauty, and compassion that SSU seeks to embody too.
The symbol of the Lamb of God also reflects SSU's desire to transcend spectrum dualism in partisan politics — As Brian Zahnd has written, "I pledge no allegiance to elephants or donkeys, only to the Lamb."
Oikoumenē Boat / Cross
The word "oikoumenÄ“" means "the whole inhabited world," and oikoumenikos means, “open to or participating in the whole world.” The oikoumenÄ“ boat with the Cross for a sail is an ancient Christian symbol that therefore denotes an ecumenical spirit of intra- and inter-faith engagement and embrace of all humanity, with a ship as a common reference to the Church and to salvation manifested as faithfulness to the kingdom of God rather than the misguided priorities and low standards of the kingdoms of this world. It is therefore the Cross — and all that it represents — that propels the Church through the unpredictable waters of our world of division, oppression, and injustice. The oikoumenÄ“ symbol therefore reflects SSU's commitment to justice, beauty, and compassion as outlined in our Mission.
Laurel Leaves
The laurel leaves symbolize peace and the martyr's crown or cross-bearing — or laying down one's life in enemy-love rather than picking up arms in our defence against our enemies — and is another nod to our patron, St. Stephen the Protomartyr.
​
1975 is the year that St. Stephen's University was founded.
Laurel Leaves
The laurel leaves symbolize peace and the martyr's crown or cross-bearing — or laying down one's life in enemy-love rather than picking up arms in our defence against our enemies — and is another nod to our patron, St. Stephen the Protomartyr.
​
1975 is the year that St. Stephen's University was founded.
Deacon's Orarion
In ancient liturgical contexts, a deacon wore a stole called an orarion, which symbolizes the towel that Jesus used to wash the feet of his disciples. This reflects SSU's commitment to kenotic service to the least of these. It is also a nod to our patron, St. Stephen, deacon and
protomartyr.
The two books overlaid on top of the orarion are meant to reflect our hope for a symbiosis between what we study and how we live in kenotic humility.
The triquetra in the orarion represents the Trinity and our partners and friends in Ireland and Scotland (where we travel for our study abroad trips) and emphasis on an "earthier" Celtic spirituality of the ordinary and experience of thin spaces in which we catch glimpses of communion with the Triune Godhead.
Deacon's Orarion
In ancient liturgical contexts, a deacon wore a stole called an orarion, which symbolizes the towel that Jesus used to wash the feet of his disciples. This reflects SSU's commitment to kenotic service to the least of these. It is also a nod to our patron, St. Stephen, deacon and
protomartyr.
The two books overlaid on top of the orarion are meant to reflect our hope for a symbiosis between what we study and how we live in kenotic humility.
The triquetra in the orarion represents the Trinity and our partners and friends in Ireland and Scotland (where we travel for our study abroad trips) and emphasis on an "earthier" Celtic spirituality of the ordinary and experience of thin spaces in which we catch glimpses of communion with the Triune Godhead.
Eight-pointed Mi'kmaq Star
The eighth-pointed star is a symbol of the sun in the Mi'kmaq First Nation of the Maritime provinces of Canada. It is included in SSU's logo to show our commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and to "the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings" (Malachi 4:2).