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.’
‘In order for her to be the granddaughter of the hierophant Casianus Apollonios, her father must of course be his son, therefore born presumably ca. 175-180.’
‘Clearly this hierophant had achieved a social and political status similar to that enjoyed by Apollonios.’
Origin
Late 17th century via late Latin from Greek hierophantēs, from hieros ‘sacred’ + phainein ‘show, reveal’.
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