The Hierophant Tarot Card Meaning

Introduction

This is The Hierophant preaching in front of the believers.
His appearance is sacred, and the faithful are attentively listening to his words.

Description

Our Spiritual Guide

The Hierophant, like The Priestess, is a person who conveys the words of God.
The difference here is that while a priestess strongly protects the gods, the Hierophant embodies the characteristics of a preacher who spreads the words of God.
Therefore, the Hierophant’s words are truthful and offer wisdom and advice to anyone.
Comparing it to our daily lives, we can consider him as teacher, mentor.
When we are spiritually weary, he becomes the culprits who heal us with a warm word, which is why the presence of the Hierophant feels even more significant.

The Hierophant, in reality, lacks substantial power.

When discussing tarot cards and the background in which tarot was created, we cannot omit the medieval period. During the medieval era, the Catholic Church not only focused on internal matters but also paid attention to secular affairs, seeking to exert strong political power and influence.

However, the Church’s authority could only be exercised when it had the support of the Emperor. No matter how legally robust the Church might be, the practical power and legislation resided in the hands of the real-world Emperor.

Come to me. I have the key you need.

Flexibility is necessary.

Just like the Emperor card, the Hierophant also requires flexibility of thought. Being the intermediary between humans and the divine, the Hierophant is bound to follow tradition, customs, and habits.

These aspects can be quite rigid and lead to narrow-minded thinking. Therefore, qualities like goodness, kindness, tolerance, or in other words, the ability to understand others, must underpin these abilities in order for them to become more gentle.

The Key to Heaven

The crossed golden key at the bottom of the card symbolizes the key to heaven that Jesus gave to Peter.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Having this key signifies that one has received salvation.
In the real world, this can be interpreted as possessing the wisdom to solve certain problems or having the insight to find solutions.

Image Interpretation

• The Hierophant’s Staff – Symbolizes the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit / Faith, Hope, and Love.
• The Crown – Represents the symbol of the Hierophant’s authority. The three layers signify the Holy Trinity.
• The Believers – Signify the act of praying and turning towards the spiritual world, keeping away from materialistic concerns.
• The Key – Represents the ability to guide others and holds the key to knowledge and wisdom.

Keywords

• Tradition and rules, adhering to ethics. Mentor and student roles. Aspires to adapt to society. Gateway to knowledge. Superstitions. Splendid ceremonies, grandeur, and ambiance. Beyond what meets the eye. Wise individual. Skilled in speeches and offering good advice. Pays attention to details.
• Disregards advice. Unwilling to learn. Rejects conformity to social norms. Ignores rules. Unconventional, free-spirited, not bound by conventions. Disillusionment with organized religion and traditional societal values.