The Pope (Tarot of Marseilles) or The Hierophant (Tarot Rider Waite) is the fifth card of the Major Arcana in occult Tarot decks. This archetype holds a triple cross, symbol of the creative force in the divine, intellectual and physical realms. It represents the bridge between heaven and earth, between God and men. Discover the meaning of The Hierophant, the indications he gives when it comes upright, reversed or combined with other cards and its possible application to the various facets of life and everyday issues.
The Major Arcana number tells you what stage you are in for a particular situation or problem. Ask the Tarot your question and interpret the Arcana according to its number and its position in the deck. These cards follow a storyline that tells of the spiritual travels taken from the innocent wonder of The Fool to the oneness and fulfillment of The World. In other words, these cards tell the story of humanity's spiritual evolution into enlightenment and individuation - when his life experiences are complete, he returns to zero, The Fool. Despite the divinatory meaning of the cards, think of the Tarot as a journey. If you look at the cards that come out in this way, with each question you ask, it becomes easier to intuitively interpret the cards and see their messages as a life story.
Index
The Pope/ The Hierophant Tarot Card Description
- Major Arcana V
- Zodiacal Affinity - Taurus
- Keywords - Conformism, revelation, reflection, restraint, respect, rules, teaching, opportunity, conventional ceremonies, morals, duty, conscience.
- Key Expressions - Ability to adapt to the reality of the moment, accept discipline, peer pressure, search for answers, study of spiritually higher principles, knowing how to be worthy, discernment that comes from knowledge and experience, spiritual path.
- Advice - Remedy disagreements. Commit and learn.
- Reversed Meaning - Potential abuse of power; unfair criticism.
The Illustration
In the Tarot, the illustration in The Hierophant card shows a male character seated between two columns. With your right hand, you bless two tonsured figures, who appear at the bottom of the card. In the left hand, The Hierophant holds the pole of the papal cross. The figure of the Pope is significantly larger than the two characters below, which seems to illustrate his spiritual dimension. On the other hand, the two figures below suggest humility and openness to receive the doctrine.
The Pope symbolizes spiritual wisdom. You don't have a book with you. Wisdom is in you. This archetype symbolizes the bridge between heaven and earth, between God and men. It also represents Saint Peter, who keeps the keys to paradise. He is the guardian of the truth and who explains to men the divine truth that has been revealed to him.
In Numerology, the number 5 represents the passage from one world to another, change, evolution. In Kabbalah, it corresponds to path number 16 on the Tree of Life: the wisdom of mercy.
The Symbology
The archetype of The Hierophant represents knowledge and education. When this card comes out in a Tarot reading, it indicates that the traditional values are suitable for any type of action, but it also indicates that the person must listen to what his inner "I" tells him. In a relationship, it can mean that the person needs some kind of guidance or that they must submit to certain rules in order to achieve their goals.
This arcana represents morality, duty, conscience. The need to reflect on a particular subject. It also symbolizes the path that each one must take to reach the divine, to unveil the "I", to reach a higher plane of existence. It indicates the need to find a purpose for life and the reflection and self-knowledge that such a goal implies. It represents the person who knows, who teaches, who guides, who transmits their knowledge for the benefit of others.
The Pope/ The Hierophant Tarot Card Meaning
Upright Pope/ The Hierophant Meaning
- Upright Love Meaning - Safe, traditional partners, avoiding taboo, spiritual love.
- Upright Career Meaning - Success in work groups, education, teamwork, mentor.
- Upright Finances Meaning - Keeping your money safe, traditional financial institutions.
This card invites us to look into a person's spiritual life and beliefs. Is there a way to approach the Divine? Would this reconciliation be beneficial to the spirituality of those who draw this card? Do you need the help of someone you trust to make an important decision?
In the sentimental field, The Hierophant suggests love, a new relationship or a friendship that grows stronger. This card is also considered to indicate marriage. In material terms, it draws attention to the need to help other people, to share wealth and to put it at the service of the community.
Reversed Pope/ The Hierophant Meaning
- Reversed Love Meaning - Stale relationship, values not aligned, breaking taboo.
- Reversed Career Meaning - Bureaucracy, stifling, confined workplace, peer pressure.
- Reversed Finances Meaning - New financial institutions, taking risks with finances.
When The Hierophant card comes out in its reversed position in the Tarot game it can be an indication that the person is allowing others to have an excessively predominant role in his life. Maybe something or someone is preventing it from being fully realized. Is it traditional values? Social conventions?
A series of current values, but out of step with the individual's way of being, may be paralyzing ideas and thoughts. This card can also represent a loss of faith, giving rise to disorderly or unexpected behavior.
The Hierophant Combinations with Other Tarot Cards
In combination with The Tower, The Hierophant predicts a tragedy that can give rise to a crisis of faith. With The Death, it indicates a profound transformation in the way of thinking and in personal values. With The Star, indicates the need to start putting ideas into practice, to leave the field of the plan for action in the real context.
The Major Arcana Tarot
The Major Arcana, or Great Mysteries, are seen as symbols of great issues, moments or people. Each card represents a human archetype, evoking the most varied feelings, moral positions and behaviors.
- 0 - The Fool Tarot Card Meaning
- I - The Magician Tarot Card Meaning
- II - The High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning
- III - The Empress Tarot Card Meaning
- IV - The Emperor Tarot Card Meaning
- V - The Pope/The Hierophant Tarot Card Meaning
- VI - The Lovers Tarot Card Meaning
- VII - The Chariot Tarot Card Meaning
- VIII - The Justice Tarot Card Meaning
- IX - The Hermit Tarot Card Meaning
- X - The Wheel of Fortune Meaning
- XI - The Strength Tarot Card Meaning
- XII - The Hanged Man Tarot Card Meaning
- XIII - The Death Tarot Card Meaning
- XIV - The Temperance Tarot Card Meaning
- XV - The Devil Tarot Card Meaning
- XVI - The Tower Tarot Card Meaning
- XVII - The Star Tarot Card Meaning
- XVIII - The Moon Tarot Card Meaning
- XIX - The Sun Tarot Card Meaning
- XX - The Judgement Tarot Card Meaning
- XXI - The World Tarot Card Meaning
Reading, Meanings and Interpretation of the Tarot Major Arcana
Tarot is used as a tool for self-discovery and self-knowledge. In this sense, more than guessing the future, it serves to read and interpret all the elements of our life: it describes the current moment, clarifies the motives, desires and intentions, pointing out the path and the energies present in our life.
The possible readings for each Tarot card are practically infinite. There is no unique interpretation for each card, for each layout of cards or for each reading method. Tarot is based on intuition. Each person who reads the message of a card, or a set of cards, intuitively unravels the meaning of the card's message and how it connects with their own reality and circumstances of life.
The word "arcana" comes from Latin and means "secret" and, in the Tarot, the Major Arcana are considered universal, symbolic and figurative: they are considered symbolic of great issues, moments or people. They are archetypes, that is, they represent the most diverse feelings, moral positions and human behaviors. When they appear in a reading, it indicates an important event or decision, whether practical, spiritual, or emotional. They also establish correspondence with the astrological signs and planets.
