SISTINE CHAPEL, celebrated chapel of the Vatican at Rome, constructed by order of Pope Sixtus IV., and decorated with frescoes by Michael Angelo, representing a succession of biblical subjects, including among others the “Creation of the World,” the “Creation of Man,” the “Creation of Woman,” the “Temptation of Eve,” the “Deluge,” “Judith and Holophernes,” “David and Goliath,” “The Last Judgment,” &c.

SISTOVA (12), a town of Bulgaria, on the Danube, 33 m. above Rustchuk; carries on trade in wine, leather, and cereals; was captured by the Russians in 1877.

SISYPHUS, a mythical king of Corinth, who for some offence he gave the gods was carried off to the nether world, and there doomed to roll a huge block up a hill, which no sooner reached the top than it bounded back again, making his toil endless.

SITKA or NEW ARCHANGEL (1), capital of Alaska, on the W. coast of Baranof Island, overhung by snowy mountains; has a good harbour; salmon fishing and curing the chief employment of most of the inhabitants, mostly Indians.

SIVA or CIVA, the Destroyer in the Hindu trinity, in which Brahma is the Creator and Vishnu the Preserver; Vishnu representing, as it were, death issuing in life, and Siva life issuing in death, the transition point, and Brahma, who, by means of them, “kills that he may make alive.”  He is worshipped as “Mahadeva” or the great god, and his worshippers are called Saivas or Caivas, as distinct from those of Vishnu, which are called Vaishnavas.  The LINGA (q. v.) is his symbol, in emblem of the creation which follows destruction.  See Psalm xc. 3.

SIVAJI, the founder of the Mahratta power in India, a bold warrior but an unlettered, of Rajput descent, brought up at Poona; began his career at 19; on his succession assumed the title of rajah in 1664, and was enthroned at Raigpur in 1674, and died sovereign of the whole Deccan (1627-1680).

SIX ARTICLES.  See BLOODY STATUTE.

SIXTUS, the name of five popes.  S. I., St., Pope from 116 to 125; S. II., st., pope from 257 to 259; S. III., Pope from 432 to 440; S. IV., pope from 1471 to 1484; S. V., Pope from 1585 to 1590; of whom only two are of any note.

SIXTUS IV., born near Savona, the son of a fisherman; became general of the Franciscans; succeeded Paul II. as Pope; was notorious for his nepotism; abetted Pazzi in his conspiracy against the Medici at Florence, but was a good administrator, and a man of liberal views; b. 1414.

SIXTUS V., born near Monalto, of poor parents, was of the Franciscan order, and famed as a preacher; was elected successor to Gregory XIII., during whose pontificate he affected infirmity, to reveal himself a vigorous pontiff as soon as he was installed; set himself at once to stamp out disorder, reform the administration, and replenish the exhausted treasury of the Church; he allowed freedom of worship to the Jews, and yet was zealous to put down all heresy in the Christian States of Europe; his services to Rome were not repaid with gratitude, for the citizens destroyed his statue on his death; b. 1521.