V. The Hierophant

Element: Earth (🜃)

Zodiac Sign: Taurus (♉)

Hebrew Letter: Vav (ו)

Kabbalistic Path: 16

Upright

Keywords: Tradition; conventions; religion; mentorship; rituals; spiritual guidance

Events: Following established customs; professional training; receiving mentorship; arranged marriage; a phase of learning; religious matters; unequal relationships; seeking spiritual guidance

Personality: Traditional; rigid; enjoys teaching; related to education; religious affiliation; values discipline and principles; structured and organized; prefers to follow rules; spiritual mentor; teacher; preacher; follows the crowd

Mental State: Devout; peaceful

Advice: Seek wisdom and knowledge from insightful individuals; do not reject new ideas just because they challenge tradition—an open mind encourages innovation and change

Card Imagery: Inside a solemn church, two devoted followers listen to the teachings of the Hierophant.

Symbolism:

  • Triple Crown – Symbolizes the Holy Trinity, ranking above the Emperor’s crown, representing supreme religious authority
  • Outer Robe – Red: passion, action; Blue: rationality, eloquence
  • Staff – A religious cross-shaped staff, a variant of the archbishop’s double-cross, symbolizing the Holy Trinity
  • Hand Gesture – A blessing gesture, also a religious sign. Two fingers point to the sky, two fingers point to the earth, symbolizing the connection between heaven and earth, conveying divine will
  • Crossed Keys – A symbol of the Hierophant’s authority; the "Keys of Peter," referencing the keys given to Saint Peter by Christ in the Gospel of Matthew
  • Serpent – Represents wisdom and the cosmic connection
  • Dove – Peace; divine messenger; an essential element of spiritual connection
  • Angels – Four distinct figures at the bottom of the image: eagle, human, ox, and lion, representing the four Seraphim, whose duty is to sing praises to God
  • Followers’ Attire – Red Rose: cosmic connection; passion; in Christianity, the rose is associated with the Virgin Mary. White Lily: purity, creativity; holiness and spirituality; balance and harmony
  • Followers’ Tonsure – A specific monastic haircut called "Tonsure," a Catholic tradition abolished by papal decree in 1972
  • Two Pillars – Represent duality. Some interpretations associate them with the two pillars of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life—severity on the left, mercy on the right

Reversed

Keywords: Anti-traditional; differing beliefs; hypocrisy; emptiness

Events: Feeling restricted by the environment; attempting to break free from societal and traditional constraints; forming new beliefs and perspectives; conflicts in relationships due to differing values; one party must compromise; arguments; unemployment; resignation; well-intended but counterproductive help

Personality: Hypocritical; rejects traditional values; easily influenced by others; overly compassionate

Mental State: Feeling restricted; helpless; conflicted; empty

Advice: Challenge conventional thought patterns; once a direction is chosen, remain steadfast; continuous learning and self-improvement will help integrate new perspectives; freedom and independence do not mean rejecting tradition entirely but having the ability to choose freely

Card Imagery: The Hierophant discards his crown, questioning his faith or no longer believing in what he once held dear.

Symbolism:

  • Discarded Crown – Loss of faith or questioning long-held beliefs

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