The Hierophant is a tarot card representing higher institutions such as the religion, commitment, education and marriage.
In tarot, the Hierophant signifies a spiritual leader.
Element: Earth (Taurus).
The Hierophant is ruled by the planet Venus.
He is the epitome of structured commitments such as the institution of marriage.
He also represents other conventional institutions such as education and religion.
Above everything, the Hierophant is extremely traditional.
This card has different meanings when interpreted upright as it does reversed (upside down, not the same as face down).
| Upright | Reversed |
| Tradition, structure, counseling. Conformity, organization. | Breaking convention, going against the status quo. Rebellion, unconventionality. New ways of doing things. |
| (Yes/No?): Neutral | (Yes/No?): Neutral |
This card can represent a wise teacher, with traditional approaches.
The Hierophant suggests following conventional social paths and traditional structures.
Ceremonies and rituals might be present when this card is.
Meaning of the Number 5
The Hierophant is number five in the 22 major arcana cards.
Like other odd numbers, the number 5 is a masculine number.
The number 5 is associated with conflict, drama and discord, although it shouldn't be assumed that this card is pointing to anything negative when it is present just because it is a five.
The Hierophant Card Description
In the original Rider-Waite tarot deck, The Hierophant depicts a religious figure in a long robe.
He holds a triple cross in his hand. (This cross is traditionally associated with The Pope.)
Beneath him, kneels two people thought to be religious worshipers participating in ceremony.
He is passing along his traditional knowledge in this depiction.
Tip in a reading: When pulling this card, be aware of the overall energy of the surrounding cards to interpret it.