Hierophant: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively ← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisual WikitextInline

Revision as of 19:30, 10 December 2006 edit204.244.150.7 (talk) →Popular culture ← Previous edit		Latest revision as of 11:38, 16 January 2025 edit undoFurius (talk \| contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users21,650 edits →Greek priesthood
(205 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1:		Line 1:
			{{short description\|Religious function}}
	The role of the '''hierophant''' in religion is to bring the congregants into the presence of that which is deemed ''holy.'' The word comes from ], where it was constructed from the combination of ''ta hiera,'' "the holy," and ''phainein,'' "to show." In ] it was the title of the chief ] at the ].
			{{for multi\|the tarot card\|The Hierophant\|the album\|The Hierophant (album)}}
			] addressing ] and ], 2nd century AD, ] ].]]

			A '''hierophant''' ({{langx\|grc\|ἱεροφάντης\|hierophántēs}}) is a person who brings religious congregants into the presence of that which is deemed '']''.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/hierophant\|title=hierophant {{!}} Greek priest\|access-date=2016-09-10}}</ref> As such, a hierophant is an interpreter of ] and ] principles.
	known Hierophants:
	*]
	*]
	*]

			The word comes from ], where it was constructed from the combination of ''{{lang\|grc\|τὰ ἱερά}}'' (''ta hiera'', 'the holy') and ''{{lang\|grc\|φαίνω}}'' (''phainō'', 'to reveal').
	==Tarot==

			==Greek priesthood==
	In ], ] is one of the twenty-two trump cards comprising the ], and represents the guide towards knowledge, insight and wisdom. In a tarot reading it might for example represent a priest, scholar, therapist or teacher.
			''Hierophant'' was the title of the chief ] at the ] in ancient ]. It was an office inherited within the ] of the ], one of the two main clans which managed the Eleusinian cult - the other being the Cerycids. Occasionally from the late fourth century BC and consistently from the first century BC, hierophants practised "hieronymy", which means that they were referred to during their lifetime as "hierophant" instead of their personal name.<ref>Clinton, ''The Sacred Officials of the Eleusinian Mysteries'' 1974, pp. 10-46.</ref>

			The known hierophants at Eleusis are:
	==Popular culture==
			* Zacorus, early 5th century BC
	*In the first and second editions of the '']'' ], "hierophant" was the highest ranking a ] could achieve. In the third edition, it is a ] available to any divine spellcaster (typically druids and ]s); its abilities revolve around improving the spellcaster's abilities, such as manipulation of energy to heal or harm others and affect ], aiding others by transferring powers to them, and improving spellcasting ability. "Hierophant" is also included in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' version 3.5.
			* Theodorus, before 415 - after 408 BC
			* Archias, ca. 379 BC
			* Lacrateides, before 353 - 350/49 BC or later
			* -ottus, c. 333 BC
			* Eurymedon, ca. 323 BC
			* Eurycleides, ca. 317-307 BC
			* "Hierophant" (Mnesiarchus?) son of Nouphrades of Perithoedae, late 4th century BC
			* Chaeretius son of Prophetes of Eleusis, ca. 248 BC
			* Aristocles of Perithoedae, 183/2-148 BC or later
			* Amynomachus adopted son of Eucles of Halae, after 148 BC (natural brother of Aristocles)
			* Menecleides son of Theophemus of Kydathenaeum, last quarter of the 2nd century BC
			* "Hierophant" son of Eustrophus of Piraeus, last quearter of the 2nd century BC
			* Theophemus son of Menecleides of Kydathenaeum, end of the 2nd century BC
			* "Hierophant", ca. 86/5 BC, when he served as ]
			* "Hierophant", mid-first century AD
			* Tiberius Claudius Oenophilus son of Callicratides of Tricorynthus, end of the 1st century AD
			* Julius "Hierophant", end of the 1st century AD
			* Titus Flavius Straton, ca. 125 AD
			* Firmus "Hierophant" of Gargettus, mid-2nd century AD
			* Decimus Ju- of Piraeus, mid-2nd century AD
			* "Hierophant" of Hagnous, ca. 138-150 AD
			* Julius "Hierophant", 168-191 or 192 AD
			* Tiberius Claudius Apollinarius son of Tiberius Claudius Apollodorus of Acharnae, 191 or 192 - 193/4 AD
			* Nummius "Hierophant" of Phaleron, 194 - before 209 AD
			* Claudius "Hierophant" of Marathon, ca. 209/10 AD
			* Apollonius son of Apollonius, ca. 215 AD
			* Heracleides, ca. 220-230 AD
			* Logimus, ca. 220-230 AD
			* Titus Flavius Glaucus son of Titus Flavius Glaucus of Marathon, ca. 225-235 AD
			* "Hierophant", before or after Glaucus
			* Erotius, after 235 AD
			* "Hierophant" son of Xenagoras, first half of the 4th century AD.
			* Nestorius, before 355 - not long before 392 AD, an associate of ], and initiator of ]

			] and ] are notable examples.
	*In the fantasy world of ], the Hierophant is amongst the largest and most formidable of the ] Bio creatures faced by ground forces.

			==In modern culture==
	*Guitarist ]'s album ] is all inspired by Tarot cards - the last song is called ''Shadow of the Hierophant''.
			===Rider Waite tarot===
			In the ] and similar decks, "]" (known in the ] as "The Pope"<ref name=":0">{{Cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1TuVP1YcE0oC\|title=The Pictorial Key to the Tarot\|last=Waite\|first=A. E.\|date=2012-03-06\|publisher=Courier Corporation\|isbn=9780486117126\|language=en}}</ref>) is one of the twenty-two trump cards comprising the "]", and represents conformity to social standards, or a deference to the established social moral order. As the guide towards knowledge, insight, and wisdom, in a Tarot reading it might, for example, represent a priest, scholar, therapist, or teacher, possibly similar to ] or the ] cards.

			] wrote that the Hierophant:<blockquote>...symbolizes also all things that are righteous and sacred on the manifest side. As such, he is the channel of grace belonging to the world of institution as distinct from that of Nature, and he is the leader of salvation for the human race at large. He is the order and the head of the recognized hierarchy, which is the reflection of another and greater hierarchic order; but it may so happen that the pontiff forgets the significance of his symbolic state and acts as if he contained within his proper measures all that his sign signifies or his symbol seeks to shew forth. He is not, as it has been thought, philosophy—except on the theological side; he is not inspiration; and his is not religion, although he is a mode of its expression.<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>
	*The ]s in ]'s novella "]" (filmed as '']'') are often referred to as "Hierophants".

			=== In ''Dungeons & Dragons'' ===
	*A popular fan site dedicated to ] is titled "The Heirophant" '''', named after the first cycle of his album '']''.
			The original '']'' supplement to 1st edition AD&D detailed how the 15th-level Grand Druid (the in-game head of all druids) could step down from his position and become a 16th-level Hierophant.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Gygax \|first=Gary \|title=Unearthed Arcana \|year=1985 \|isbn=0880380845 \|page=17}}</ref> In 3rd edition D&D, the hierophant ] for high-level divine spellcasters appeared in the '']'' and in the 3.5e '']''.

			==See also==
	*In the ] role-playing game '']'' (New World of Darkness), the Hierophant is the spiritual leader within a given city for the covenant known as the Circle of the Crone.
			*{{wikt-inline\|hierophant}}
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ], "bridge-builder" between ] and ] or between the spiritual world and the temporal one
			* ]

			==References==
	*In the '']'' sequel novel '']'', the ''Unyielding Hierophant'' was a ] space station so vastly large its gravity could be manipulated to resemble an ] painting. It was used as a rendezvous point for Covenant ships in order to amass for the invasion of Earth. It was destroyed by the last remaining ]s.
			{{Reflist}}

			==External links==
	*In the ] '']'', the Hierophant is a type of ] card which allows the user to issue one mental command to the victim.
			*
			*
			*
			* {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516030950/http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/bldefhierophant.htm \|date=2008-05-16 }}

			{{authority control}}
	*In the arcade video game '']'', The Hierophant (Type B 05) is a demon humanoid with gills, and one of the bosses.
			]
			]
			]
			]

	*In the arcade game ''] III'', the "Hierophant" is a playable character.

	*In the novel '']'' by ], Alex Halo's true identity is the ] Hierophant.

	*In the novel '']'' by ], the Hierophant leads the "Wallflower Order," a secret society dedicated to the containment of the "Jes Grew" epidemic.

	*In the ] '']'', "hierophant" is the name for the third class character change for Prophets.

	*The '']'' features a monthly column of paranormal ] written by "The Hierophant".

	*In the MMORPG World of Warcraft, there is a ring awarded to shamans or priets called the "Ring of the Hierophant"; it is a rare blue drop.

	==See also==
	*]

	]
	]

			{{AncientGreek-reli-stub}}
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]

Latest revision as of 11:38, 16 January 2025

Religious function For the tarot card, see The Hierophant. For the album, see The Hierophant (album).

A hierophant (Ancient Greek: ἱεροφάντης, romanized: hierophántēs) is a person who brings religious congregants into the presence of that which is deemed holy. As such, a hierophant is an interpreter of sacred mysteries and arcane principles.

The word comes from ancient Greece, where it was constructed from the combination of τὰ ἱερά (ta hiera, 'the holy') and φαίνω (phainō, 'to reveal').

Greek priesthood

Hierophant was the title of the chief priest at the Eleusinian Mysteries in ancient Attica. It was an office inherited within the genos of the Eumolpidae, one of the two main clans which managed the Eleusinian cult - the other being the Cerycids. Occasionally from the late fourth century BC and consistently from the first century BC, hierophants practised "hieronymy", which means that they were referred to during their lifetime as "hierophant" instead of their personal name.

The known hierophants at Eleusis are:

Zacorus, early 5th century BC
Theodorus, before 415 - after 408 BC
Archias, ca. 379 BC
Lacrateides, before 353 - 350/49 BC or later
-ottus, c. 333 BC
Eurymedon, ca. 323 BC
Eurycleides, ca. 317-307 BC
"Hierophant" (Mnesiarchus?) son of Nouphrades of Perithoedae, late 4th century BC
Chaeretius son of Prophetes of Eleusis, ca. 248 BC
Aristocles of Perithoedae, 183/2-148 BC or later
Amynomachus adopted son of Eucles of Halae, after 148 BC (natural brother of Aristocles)
Menecleides son of Theophemus of Kydathenaeum, last quarter of the 2nd century BC
"Hierophant" son of Eustrophus of Piraeus, last quearter of the 2nd century BC
Theophemus son of Menecleides of Kydathenaeum, end of the 2nd century BC
"Hierophant", ca. 86/5 BC, when he served as eponymous archon
"Hierophant", mid-first century AD
Tiberius Claudius Oenophilus son of Callicratides of Tricorynthus, end of the 1st century AD
Julius "Hierophant", end of the 1st century AD
Titus Flavius Straton, ca. 125 AD
Firmus "Hierophant" of Gargettus, mid-2nd century AD
Decimus Ju- of Piraeus, mid-2nd century AD
"Hierophant" of Hagnous, ca. 138-150 AD
Julius "Hierophant", 168-191 or 192 AD
Tiberius Claudius Apollinarius son of Tiberius Claudius Apollodorus of Acharnae, 191 or 192 - 193/4 AD
Nummius "Hierophant" of Phaleron, 194 - before 209 AD
Claudius "Hierophant" of Marathon, ca. 209/10 AD
Apollonius son of Apollonius, ca. 215 AD
Heracleides, ca. 220-230 AD
Logimus, ca. 220-230 AD
Titus Flavius Glaucus son of Titus Flavius Glaucus of Marathon, ca. 225-235 AD
"Hierophant", before or after Glaucus
Erotius, after 235 AD
"Hierophant" son of Xenagoras, first half of the 4th century AD.
Nestorius, before 355 - not long before 392 AD, an associate of Julian the Apostate, and initiator of Eunapius

Eunapius and Vettius Agorius Praetextatus are notable examples.

In modern culture

Rider Waite tarot

In the Rider–Waite tarot deck and similar decks, "The Hierophant" (known in the Tarot de Marseille as "The Pope") is one of the twenty-two trump cards comprising the "Major Arcana", and represents conformity to social standards, or a deference to the established social moral order. As the guide towards knowledge, insight, and wisdom, in a Tarot reading it might, for example, represent a priest, scholar, therapist, or teacher, possibly similar to the Hermit or the King of Cups cards.

A. E. Waite wrote that the Hierophant:

...symbolizes also all things that are righteous and sacred on the manifest side. As such, he is the channel of grace belonging to the world of institution as distinct from that of Nature, and he is the leader of salvation for the human race at large. He is the order and the head of the recognized hierarchy, which is the reflection of another and greater hierarchic order; but it may so happen that the pontiff forgets the significance of his symbolic state and acts as if he contained within his proper measures all that his sign signifies or his symbol seeks to shew forth. He is not, as it has been thought, philosophy—except on the theological side; he is not inspiration; and his is not religion, although he is a mode of its expression.

In Dungeons & Dragons

The original Unearthed Arcana supplement to 1st edition AD&D detailed how the 15th-level Grand Druid (the in-game head of all druids) could step down from his position and become a 16th-level Hierophant. In 3rd edition D&D, the hierophant prestige class for high-level divine spellcasters appeared in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and in the 3.5e Dungeon Master's Guide.

References

"hierophant | Greek priest". Retrieved 2016-09-10.
Clinton, The Sacred Officials of the Eleusinian Mysteries 1974, pp. 10-46.
^ Waite, A. E. (2012-03-06). The Pictorial Key to the Tarot. Courier Corporation. ISBN 9780486117126.
Gygax, Gary (1985). Unearthed Arcana. p. 17. ISBN 0880380845.

External links

Britannica article
The last hierophant at Eleusis
Dictionary definition
Definition from alt religion Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine

This article relating to ancient Greek religion is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

Categories: