Servant of God

Servant of God is a title given to individuals who are members of different religions, but in general usage the phrase "servant of God" is used as a description of a person believed to be pious in his or her faith tradition. In early Christianity, as is still the case in the Eastern Orthodox Church, this term applies to all the faithful whom the Church comprises. The Hebrew name Obadiah עובדיה and the German name Gottschalk literally mean "servant of God".

Roman Catholicism
Servant of God is the title given to a deceased person of the Roman Catholic Church whose life and works are being investigated in consideration for official recognition by the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church as a saint in heaven. This title should not be confused with Servus Servorum Dei (Servant of the Servants of God), one of the titles of the Pope.

Receiving the title Servant of God is the first of the four steps in the canonization process. The next step is being declared Venerable, upon a decree of heroicity or martyrdom by the honored. This is followed by beatification, with the title of Blessed, after the confirmation of miracles attributed to the honored. The final step is canonization, where the honored would receive the title of Saint.