The Hierophant Tarot Art History: Symbolism Across Decks

18 dicembre 2025

BY NICOLE LAU

The Hierophant has been transmitting sacred wisdom for over 500 years, but his appearance has evolved dramatically across different tarot traditions. From medieval pope to cosmic teacher, each deck's interpretation reveals different facets of this keeper of tradition. This is the art history of The Hierophant—how symbolism, culture, and philosophy have shaped the card we know today.

The Origins: Medieval Tarocchi (15th Century)

The earliest known tarot decks emerged in 15th-century Italy. The Hierophant was originally "Il Papa" (The Pope)—representing religious authority and the transmission of sacred knowledge through the Catholic Church.

Key characteristics:

Papal figure in religious robes
Triple crown (papal tiara)
Papal cross or blessing gesture
Sometimes shown with acolytes or supplicants
Numbered V (the fifth card of the Major Arcana)

Symbolic meaning: In medieval society, The Pope represented spiritual authority, religious teaching, and the transmission of sacred knowledge through established religious institutions. He was the bridge between heaven and earth, the one who interpreted divine will for the people.

This wasn't yet the universal spiritual teacher we know today—he was specifically the Catholic Pope, representing institutional religious authority.

Tarot de Marseille (17th-18th Century)

The Marseille tradition standardized tarot imagery across Europe. The Pope became more formalized while retaining his religious authority.

Key characteristics:

Seated papal figure in elaborate robes
Triple crown (papal tiara)
Papal cross or blessing gesture
Two figures kneeling before him (acolytes or monks)
Often shown between two pillars
Numbered V

Symbolic evolution: The Marseille Pope is more dignified and authoritative. The two kneeling figures emphasize the teacher-student relationship and the transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next.

He's transitioning from pure religious authority to embodying the principle of teaching, tradition, and the preservation of sacred knowledge.

Rider-Waite-Smith Deck (1909)

This is the transformation that defined The Hierophant for modern tarot. Created by artist Pamela Colman Smith under Arthur Edward Waite's direction, this version elevated The Pope to The Hierophant—a universal spiritual teacher.

Key characteristics:

Seated figure between two pillars
Triple crown (representing three worlds)
Triple-barred papal cross
Right hand raised in blessing (two fingers up, two down)
Two acolytes kneeling before him
Crossed keys at his feet
Rich robes and formal religious imagery
Numbered 5 or V

Symbolic revolution: Waite and Smith renamed The Pope to The Hierophant—a Greek term meaning "revealer of sacred mysteries." This universalized the card beyond Catholic imagery.

The triple crown represents the three worlds (heaven, earth, underworld) or body, mind, and spirit. The triple-barred cross emphasizes his authority over all three realms.

The blessing gesture (two fingers up, two down) represents "as above, so below"—the Hierophant as bridge between spiritual and material worlds.

The crossed keys at his feet are the keys to heaven, the keys to sacred knowledge, the keys that unlock spiritual mysteries.

The two acolytes represent the student-teacher relationship and the humility required to learn.

This version asks: What if spiritual authority isn't about one religion, but about the universal transmission of sacred wisdom?

Thoth Tarot (1969)

Created by Aleister Crowley and painted by Lady Frieda Harris, the Thoth deck presents The Hierophant as a cosmic principle of teaching and tradition.

Key characteristics:

Powerful figure on throne
Taurus symbolism prominent (bull imagery)
Alchemical and astrological symbols
Geometric patterns representing sacred knowledge
Rich greens and earth tones (Taurus/earth)
Wand or staff representing authority
Numbered V

Symbolic depth: Crowley's Hierophant is pure principle of tradition and teaching—the one who preserves and transmits sacred knowledge across generations.

The Taurus connection emphasizes grounded, practical spirituality and the preservation of what has proven true over time.

The geometric patterns represent sacred geometry and the mathematical principles underlying spiritual truth.

Crowley wrote: "He is the outer form of the inner truth." The Hierophant as the one who makes sacred knowledge accessible through teaching and tradition.

Modern Interpretations (1970s-Present)

Contemporary tarot has exploded with diverse interpretations of The Hierophant, each reflecting different cultural perspectives and spiritual philosophies.

Wild Unknown Tarot (Kim Krans)

The Hierophant appears as a bull—pure Taurus energy, grounded and traditional. Emphasizes The Hierophant's connection to earth wisdom and natural tradition.

Modern Witch Tarot (Lisa Sterle)

A diverse spiritual teacher in contemporary setting. Brings The Hierophant into accessible, modern spiritual practice beyond institutional religion.

Afro-Brazilian Tarot

The Hierophant as a spiritual elder or priest from African traditions—honoring ancestral wisdom and traditional spiritual practices.

Tarot of the Divine (Yoshi Yoshitani)

The Hierophant as various spiritual teachers from world traditions—emphasizing universal wisdom across cultures.

Symbolic Elements Across Traditions

The Triple Crown

Medieval: Papal tiara of Catholic authority
Marseille: Papal crown suggesting religious power
Rider-Waite: Crown representing three worlds or trinity
Thoth: Integrated into overall symbolism
Modern: Often absent or reimagined

The Papal Cross

Medieval: Symbol of papal authority
Marseille: Triple-barred cross of religious power
Rider-Waite: Triple-barred cross representing authority over three worlds
Thoth: Wand or staff of teaching authority
Modern: Often absent or reimagined

The Two Acolytes

Medieval: Supplicants or monks
Marseille: Two kneeling figures seeking wisdom
Rider-Waite: Two acolytes representing teacher-student relationship
Thoth: Not explicitly shown
Modern: Sometimes present, often reimagined

The Keys

Medieval: Not always present
Marseille: Sometimes shown
Rider-Waite: Crossed keys at feet (keys to sacred mysteries)
Thoth: Integrated into symbolism
Modern: Sometimes present, often symbolic

Cultural Interpretations

Western Esoteric Tradition

The Hierophant as the revealer of sacred mysteries, the teacher who makes spiritual knowledge accessible, the bridge between heaven and earth.

Psychological Interpretation

The Hierophant as the archetype of the teacher, the superego, the part of the psyche that preserves and transmits cultural and spiritual values.

Interfaith Perspectives

The Hierophant as universal spiritual teacher—rabbi, imam, priest, guru, elder—any who preserve and transmit sacred wisdom.

Modern Spirituality

The Hierophant as the inner teacher, the wisdom of tradition balanced with personal truth, the guide who helps you find your own path.

Evolution of The Hierophant's Number

The Hierophant has consistently been numbered 5 (or V) across traditions, but the meaning of that number has evolved:

Medieval: Simply the fifth card in sequence

Marseille: The number of humanity and human experience

Rider-Waite: The number of teaching, learning, and the bridge between spirit and matter

Thoth: The number of humanity—the pentagram, the five senses, the human form

Five is the number of humanity, change, and the bridge. It represents the human experience of learning, teaching, and transmitting wisdom.

What The Art Reveals

Across five centuries and countless decks, certain truths about The Hierophant remain constant:

He is always a teacher—whether pope, priest, or universal guide
He preserves tradition—whether religious, spiritual, or cultural
He transmits knowledge—whether through institution or direct teaching
He bridges worlds—whether heaven and earth, or teacher and student
He is numbered five—the principle of humanity and teaching

The art evolves, but the archetype endures. The Hierophant keeps demonstrating that wisdom must be preserved, tradition has value, and teaching is sacred.

Choosing Your Hierophant

When selecting a tarot deck, pay attention to how The Hierophant is depicted. Different artistic interpretations will resonate with different aspects of your journey:

Choose Rider-Waite if: You want clear symbolic imagery and the classic spiritual teacher.

Choose Thoth if: You're drawn to cosmic wisdom, alchemical symbolism, and Crowley's philosophy.

Choose Marseille if: You prefer traditional imagery and want to connect with tarot's historical roots.

Choose modern decks if: You want representation that reflects your spiritual path, culture, or contemporary practice.

Or collect multiple decks and notice how The Hierophant speaks differently through each artistic lens. The archetype is vast enough to contain all interpretations.

The Hierophant's Future

As tarot continues to evolve, so will The Hierophant. Future decks will undoubtedly present new interpretations—perhaps The Hierophant as digital teacher, as wisdom keeper in virtual spaces, as the one who preserves knowledge in new forms.

But regardless of how the art changes, The Hierophant's essential message remains: Wisdom must be preserved, tradition has value, and teaching is sacred. You are both student and teacher, receiver and transmitter, the one who learns and the one who teaches.

The Hierophant has been sitting between the pillars for 500 years, holding the keys to sacred mysteries. He'll be sitting there for 500 more. Because the principle he embodies is eternal: wisdom is preserved through teaching, tradition connects us to truth, and sacred knowledge must be transmitted.

May you find your Hierophant.
May his image speak to your learning.
May his wisdom call to your teaching.
May you discover, through art, that you've always been The Hierophant.