hierophant
/ˈhʌɪ(ə)rə(ʊ)fant
/noun
A person, especially a priest, who interprets sacred mysteries or esoteric principles.The dedicatory inscription on a statue base found in the Agora Excavations throws new light on relations between families of hierophants and daduchs in the late second and early third century A.D....
- As it happens, we know the hierophants who served from the reign of Antoninus Pius to ca. 191: Flavius Leosthenes and Julius Hierophantes.
- The father of Apollonios the hierophant was, as mentioned above, C. Iulius Casianus Apollonios of Steiria.
Derivatives
hierophantic
- The priest, whether Hindu or Catholic, had a hierophantic role attached to his ritual and art of communion with the beyond.
- The French Gnostic Tradition is hierophantic in nature and transmission.
- The Gospel of Thomas represents a partial record of his activities as teacher, although indications of his hierophantic mysteries are present also.
Origin
Late 17th century: via late Latin from Greek hierophantēs, from hieros 'sacred' + phainein 'show, reveal'.