"Servant of God" is a term used for individuals by various religions for people believed to be pious in the faith's tradition. In the Catholic Church, it is the first step in designating an individual who is being investigated by the Church for possible canonization as a saint. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, this term is used to refer to any Eastern Orthodox Christian.[note 1] The Arabic name Abdullah[1] (from عبد الله, ʿAbd Allāh, "Servant of God"), the German name Gottschalk, and the Sanskrit name Devadasa are all variations of "servant of God".