The Hierophant Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed, Love & Yes/No

By The Mystica Editorial Team · Checked against our editorial standards · Updated 20 September 2026 · 6 min read

A tried-and-tested path or a wise mentor has something to offer. It is a good day to learn, ask for advice or honor a commitment.

Arcana	Major Arcana
Number	5 (V)
Element	Earth
Astrology	Taurus
Hebrew letter	Vav (Golden Dawn attribution)
Yes or no	Maybe
Upright	tradition, guidance, learning, shared values
Reversed	breaking convention, questioning rules, going your own way

Pamela Colman Smith · Rider–Waite–Smith (1909)

The Hierophant symbolism

A religious figure in red robes and a triple crown sits between two pillars, raising his right hand in blessing. Two crossed keys lie at his feet and two followers kneel before him. The Hierophant (called The Pope in older Marseille decks) is the teacher of tradition, the bridge between an established body of knowledge and the people who come to learn it.

The descriptions on this site refer to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909), illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and designed with Arthur Edward Waite, which is the reference for most modern tarot. Other decks may show different imagery with a similar meaning.

Upright meaning

• tradition
• guidance
• learning
• shared values

The Hierophant represents tradition, shared values and learning within a structure. He appears when the answer lies in established wisdom: a teacher, a mentor, a school, a religion, a professional code or simply the way things have been done successfully before.

In a reading, the card favours formal commitments, study, certifications, ceremonies and working within institutions. It asks you to respect the knowledge that came before you rather than reinventing everything. Its number is five, and here it represents the fifth element that binds the other four: meaning and belief.

Reversed meaning

• breaking convention
• questioning rules
• going your own way

Reversed, The Hierophant challenges convention. You may be questioning rules that no longer fit, outgrowing a belief system or choosing a path that others do not approve of. This can be healthy independence, or it can be rebellion for its own sake.

The reversed card also warns about rigid institutions or advice that follows the rules without considering your real situation.

New to reversals? Our guide to reading reversed tarot cards explains the different ways readers interpret an upside-down card.

The Hierophant in love and relationships

The Hierophant as feelings

As feelings, The Hierophant means someone sees you as a serious, long-term prospect and may be thinking in terms of commitment and shared values.

Career and work

At work, The Hierophant supports established companies, education, training, mentorship and following proper procedure. It is a good sign for exams and qualifications.

Money and finances

With money, the card recommends proven, conventional strategies and professional advice rather than risky shortcuts.

Is The Hierophant a yes or no card?

Number, element and astrology

The Hierophant is card 5 (V) of the Major Arcana, the 22 trump cards that describe life's big lessons and turning points. In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn's system, which shaped the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, it is attributed to the Hebrew letter Vav and to Taurus, giving it the element of earth.

Advice from The Hierophant

Look for a mentor or an established method. Someone has already solved a version of this problem.

Example reading

This example is written by our editors to show how the card is read in context. It is not a real client's reading. See our tarot spreads for how positions change a card's meaning.

The Hierophant in question readings

What The Hierophant says when it lands in a specific position. These are the interpretations our free readings by question show for this card.

• As their feelings (Does my ex still love me?): This person feels a sense of loyalty and respect toward what you shared. They think of the relationship in terms of values, commitment, and doing the right thing. Tradition and family opinion may heavily shape how they feel.
• As what they are not showing (Does he like me?): They are holding back because they want to do things properly. Beneath their reserve lies a desire for commitment, along with concern about what others will think. They may be waiting for the right moment by the book.
• As the outcome in a reconciliation reading (Will he come back?): This leans toward a conventional resolution. If you reconcile, it will likely involve serious commitment and shared agreements, perhaps even counsel from someone wise. If not, the ending will be respectful and clearly defined.
• As what is coming in love (Will I find love?): A traditional, values-based connection is on the way. You may meet someone through a community, class, place of worship, or family introduction. This points toward commitment, and for some, eventual marriage.
• As the outcome for work (Will I get the job?): This leans toward success through conventional routes. Exams, certifications, established companies, and formal processes are favored. The result may be steady rather than exciting, but it is solid and recognized.
• As advice (What should I do?): Seek wise counsel. A mentor, elder, or trusted advisor can offer perspective you lack. Consider what your deepest values say. The conventional choice may be the right one here, provided it aligns with who you are.
• Reversed in a love reading (Will we get back together?): Reversed, the Hierophant suggests breaking free from expectations. This person may be rejecting what is expected of them, or you are realizing the old arrangement never suited you. A reunion would need entirely new rules.

Pulled The Hierophant next to another card? See what they mean together with the tarot card combinations tool.

The Hierophant as a birth card or year card

In the birth card system of Mary K. Greer, The Hierophant belongs to constellation 5, together with Temperance. Find out whether it is one of your cards with the tarot birth card calculator, or whether it rules your year with the tarot year card calculator.

Related cards

Dream symbols linked to this card

Keys. Our dream dictionary explains how the same symbolism appears in dreams.