This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.
You can assist by editing it now. A how-to guide is available, as is general documentation.
This article has been tagged since March 2007.

The Hierophant (V)

The Hierophant (V) is a Major Arcana Tarot card. Image File history File links Information_icon. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Major Arcana (Trumps Major, Major Trumps) of the Tarot deck consists of 22 cards. ... Visconti-Sforza tarot deck - The Devil card is a XX Century remake of the card missing from the original XV Century Deck The tarot is a set of cards featuring 21 trump cards and a special card called The Fool, in addition to the usual suit (face and pip) cards...

Description and Symbolism

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of modern Tarot interpretations.^[1] However not all interpretations follow his theology. Please remember that all Tarot decks used for divination are interpreted up to personal experience and standards.

Some frequent keywords are:

• Education, knowledge, status quo, institution
• Conservatism, discipline, maturity, formality
• Social convention, belief system, group identification
• Conformity, experience, moral values, tradition
• Coletivity, orthodoxy, obedience to the rules

In many modern packs, the Hierophant raises his right hand in what is known esoterically as the blessing, with two fingers pointing skyward and two pointing down, thus forming a bridge between heaven and earth reminiscent of that formed by the body of The Hanged Man. The Hierophant is thus a true “pontiff”, in that he is the builder of the bridge between God and humans. The role of the hierophant in religion is to bring the congregants into the presence of that which is deemed The word comes from Ancient Greece, where it was constructed from the combination of ta hiera, the holy, and phainein, to show. ...

In most designs, the Hierophant is seen seated on a throne between two pillars symbolizing law and liberty or obedience and disobedience, according to different interpretations. He wears the triple crown, and the keys to heaven are at his feet.

History

Often referred to in older decks as "The Pope", and occasionally as "Jupiter". The papacy was not just a religious force, but was a political and military force as well. When the tarot was invented, the Pope controlled a large portion of central Italy, and allied himself opportunistically with rival kingdoms in order to secure political advantage. Renaissance culture did not question the abstract ideal of the Pope as God's human representative on Earth. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Pope (or Pope of Rome) (from... Jupiter et Thétis - by Jean Ingres, 1811. ...

The more commonly encountered modern name "Hierophant" is due to Antoine Court de Gébelin, and was the title of a chief priest in the Eleusinian mysteries (an ancient Greek priest who interpreted sacred mysteries), and is usually regarded as the spiritual counterpart of the temporal Emperor card. Antoine Court who named himself Antoine Court de Gébelin ( ca. ... The Eleusinian Mysteries were initiation ceremonies held every five years for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. ...

Interpretation

Le Pape from the Tarot of Marseilles

The card stands for religion and orthodox theology, as well as representing traditional education and conventional moral standards, the “Man of high social standing”. These interpretations merely scratch the surface of the card, however. The Pope card also represents the Biblical story of God’s creation of man and woman. Image File history File links The Tarot de Marseille: V Le Pape. ... Image File history File links The Tarot de Marseille: V Le Pape. ... Le Bateleur, The Mountebank, the first trump in the Tarot de Marseille. ...

Some interpretations also suggest a link between the card and the myth of Isis and Osiris – a claim made about many cards. Some say the card corresponds to the astrological sign of Taurus; others Sagittarius or Leo. And yet another association is with the sign Cancer; In many primitive cultures (Native American, Siberian) the Hierophant retains the role as spiritual guide, wearing here the mask of a shaman who is the teacher of holy things. The mythological association is with the Coyote or Trickster God, one who is a teacher, a benefactor for the spiritual student, but who is often playful or mischievous. Cancer has an astrological connection with the Moon, night, and the occult, and as a water sign Cancerians have the reputation of being emotional, empathic, compassionate which translates to caring nurturer, good parent and teacher. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sagittarius is an astrological sign, which is associated with the constellation Sagittarius. ... Symbol of Leo Leo is an astrological sign, which is associated with the constellation Leo. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The word occult comes from the Latin occultus (clandestine, hidden, secret), referring to knowledge of the hidden. In the medical sense it is used commonly to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e. ...

The Hierophant is the card representing organized religion – any religion. It’s positive aspects are about the positive aspects of the relevant religion. It’s negative aspects are the over crystallization of rituals, formulas and mind strangling beliefs. For example – many religions state: no drugs. No treatment for cancer, no antibiotics for disease, no painkillers for an operation. This can be life denying.

“Hierophant” literally means “the one who teaches the holy things.” Ideally, the Hierophant prepares the Querant spiritually for the adventure of life. It also represents individuation; the point where the child starts to understand the boundaries between the self and the other; family and the community, me and thee. And the point where the individual starts constructing their own identity – consciously, unconsciously, or as shaped by exterior forces. Works of Sigmund Freud and Michel Foucault explores these forces.

The Hierophant is Key 5 of the Major Arcana. Five represents the essence of things as they are – consider the word “quintessence” from the Latin words for five and nature. It is also the number of the senses; sight, hearing, taste, feeling, smell. The Hierophant stands athwart the world of the senses and the world of meaning.

It is related through cross sums (the sum of the digits) with Key 14: Temperance. The Hierophant presents the lessons of heaven to earth; Temperance guides the soul from this world to the underworld.

Some authorities say that the Hierophant generally represents assistance, friendship, good advice, alliances (including marriages), and religious interests. Reversed; it often refers to bad advice, lies, and persecution.

Others say that it represents the first level of understanding. When it appears in a tarot spread, it is a warning to the Querant to reexamine his or her understanding of the meaning of things; of the structure of the world; of the powers that be. Watch out for hypocrisy.

The negative aspect of The Hierophant is well illustrated by the myth of Procrustes. Procrustes was a man (or a monster) living in the mountains of Greece back in mythic times. He would invite weary travelers to come into his home, wash the dust off their feet, have a meal, and allow them to lie down on his bed. If they were too big for his bed, he’d cut them to size; if they were to small; he’d stretch them to fit. In Greek mythology, Procrustes (the stretcher), also known as Damastes (subduer) and Polypemon (harming much), was a bandit from Attica. ...

At last, Theseus came through those mountains and accepted Procrustes’s seemingly kind offer. When Procrustes tried to cut him to fit, Theseus at last slew him, making the road safe. Theseus (Greek ) was a legendary king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, with whom Aethra lay in one night. ...

In this way, the Hierophant is like Freud’s superconscious. It shapes us, sometimes brutally. Sometimes, this shaping is necessary for us to become who we are. Sometimes, it’s merely the replication of historic cruelties.

Freud opined that the superconscious is the internalization of the parents. The Hierophant may represent the parents, living in the Querant.

The Rider-Waite-Smith deck explicitly connects the Hierophant with the Ten of Swords. The dead man laying face down on the beach, penetrated by ten swords, has his hand in the same position of blessing as the Hierophant. Perhaps hinting that the artist believed that the path of the Hierophant leads to ultimately to death; a sanctified death, but death nonetheless.

Alternative decks

In the Vikings Tarot the Hierophant is Odin with his two ravens, Hugin and Munin, and his two wolves, Geri and Freki. The Vikings Tarot or Tarocchi Vichinghi is a tarot-deck created by Manfredi Toraldo for the Italian publisher Lo Scarabeo. ... [[Media:Media:Example. ... Hugin can refer to: Hugin - a raven associated with the Norse god Odin. ... Munin can mean: Munin - a raven associated with the Norse god Odin Munin - a Swedish satellite Slang: Munin is also sometimes also used to describe an annoying person. ... Geri and Freki (also spelled Gere and Freke) are a pair of wolves, companions of the god Odin in Norse mythology. ...

References

1. ^ Juliette Wood, Folklore 109 (1998):15–24, The Celtic Tarot and the Secret Tradition: A Study in Modern Legend Making (1998)

• A. E. Waite's 1910 Pictorial Key to the Tarot
• Hajo Banzhaf, Tarot and the Journey of the Hero (2000)
• Most works by Joseph Campbell
• G. Ronald Murphy, S.J., The Owl, The Raven, and The Dove: Religious Meaning of the Grimm’s Magic Fairy Tales (2000)
• Riane Eisler, The Chalice and the Blade (1987)
• Mary Greer, The Women of the Golden Dawn (1994)
• Merlin Stone, When God Was A Woman (1976)
• Robert Graves, Greek Mythology (1955)
• Sigmund Freud, Moses and Monotheism (1939)
• Michel Foucault, History of Sexuality, V. I (1978)
• Harold Bloom, Jesus and Yahweh: The Names Divine (2005)
• P.D. Ouspensky, The Symbolism of the tarot; Philosophy and Occultism in Pictures and Numbers (1976)

Arthur Edward Waite (October 2, 1857 _ May 19, 1942) was an occultist and co-creator of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. ... The Pictorial Key to the Tarot is A. E. Waites influential guide to Tarot symbolism, published in 1910 in conjunction with the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. ... Portrait of Robert Graves (circa 1974) by Rab Shiell Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 – 5 November 1955) was an English poet, scholar, and novelist. ... Sigmund Freud (born Sigismund Schlomo Freud) May 6, 1856 – September 23, 1939; (IPA: ) was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who co-founded the psychoanalytic school of psychology. ... Michel Foucault (IPA pronunciation: ) (October 15, 1926 – June 25, 1984) was a French philosopher and historian. ...

Trivia

• A boss character in The House of the Dead 2 is named after this Tarot card, given the name of "Hierophant".
• In the X/1999 Tarot version made by CLAMP, The Hierophant is Aoki Seiichirou.
• Tarot cards are used throughout much of Europe to play Tarot card games such as French Tarot and Austrian Königrufen. In English-speaking and Spanish-speaking countries, where the games are largely unknown, Tarot cards came to be utilized primarily for divinatory purposes.
• In Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 3: Stardust Crusaders, each of the Stands are represented by one of the Tarot Cards. Noriaki Kakyoin's stand is represented by the Hierophant, it's called "Hierophant Green", Keeping with the Tarot card and color naming scheme.

Flag Ship from the video game Gorf In video games, a boss is a particularly challenging computer-controlled character that must be defeated at the end of a segment of a game, whether it be for a level, an episode, or the very end of the game itself (final boss). ... House of the Dead 2 is a video game developed and published by Sega for the arcade in 1998 and later ported to the Sega Dreamcast. ... X/1999, an early work of the hit all female manga-ka group CLAMP, details the apocalypse in a very literal adaptation of the Book of Revelation. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Austrian-style 54-card Tarock hand: the Fool; six trumps; King, Queen, 1 of hearts. ... It has been suggested that Tarocchi be merged into this article or section. ... Austrian-style 54-card Tarock hand: Königrufen (The Calling of a King Tarock) is a 4 player Tarock variant played in Austria and nearby areas in Central Europe. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The High Priestess, card number 2 in the major arcana. ... JoJos Bizarre Adventure , alternatively translated as JoJos Venture) is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. ... This article is about JoJos Bizarre Adventure Part 3: Stardust Crusaders Spoiler warning: Jotaro Kujo and Star Platinum Part 3: スターダストクルセイダース The most popular series of the JoJo compendium is series 3 by far. ... Noriaki Kakyoin is a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJos Bizarre Adventure. ...

External links

• "Pope" cards from many decks and articles to "Pope" iconography
• The History of the Hierophant (Pope) Card from The Hermitage.