Definitions For Hierophant

Noun

HIEROPHANT (plural HIEROPHANTs) An ancient Greek priest who interpreted sacred mystery, mysteries, especially the priest of the {{w, Eleusynian Mysteries, Eleusinian mysteries}}. An interpreter of sacred mysteries or arcane knowledge. One who explains or makes a commentary.

Quotations

{{quote-book, en, year=1837, passage=The exhibition of ancient statues, relics, and symbols, concealed from daily adoration (as in the Catholic festivals of this day), probably, made a main duty of the Hierophant., author=Edward Bulwer-Lytton, title=Athens: Its Rise and Fall}} {{quote-book, en, year=1894, passage=Thus I became the hierophant of those three worthy and talented men, who, in spite of their literary accomplishments, were not wise, since they were infatuated with occult and fabulous sciences, and believed in the existence of phenomena impossible in the moral as well as in the physical order of things., author=Arthur Machen, title=Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, (translation)}} {{quote-book, en, year=1918, passage=If books are as provocative as you suggest, one would expect every librarian to utter the shrill screams of a hierophant, to clash ecstatic castanets in his silent alcoves!, author=Christopher Morley, title=The Haunted Bookshop}} {{quote-book, en, year=1947, passage=What did even the hierophants of science know of the potencies of, for them unvintageable evil?, author=Malcolm Lowry, title=Under The Volcano}}

Derived terms

hierophantic hierophantically

Related terms

hierophany

Translations

Bulgarian: първожрец, m Dutch: opperpriester Finnish: hierofantti French: hiérophante, m German: Hierophant, m Italian: ierofante, m Japanese: 聖師 (seishi, shōshi) Russian: иерофант, m Spanish: hierofante, m Dutch: hiërofant French: hiérophante, m French: hiérophante, m

Etymology

{{PIE root, en, bʰeh₂, id=shine}} From {{bor, en, grc, ἱεροφάντης}}, from ἱερός, , holy + φαίνω, , I show, make known

See also

hieromnemon {{topics, en, Cartomancy}}