hierophant

hierophant
—hierophantic, adj. —hierophantically, adv.
/huy"euhr euh fant', huy"reuh-, huy er"euh-/, n.
1. (in ancient Greece) an official expounder of rites of worship and sacrifice.
2. any interpreter of sacred mysteries or esoteric principles; mystagogue.
[1670-80; < LL hierophanta < Gk hierophántes, equiv. to hiero- HIERO- + -phántes, deriv. of phaínein to show, make known]

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Chief priest of the Eleusinian Mysteries in ancient Greece.

His main task was to display the sacred objects during the celebration of the mysteries and explain their secret meaning to initiates. The priest was usually an old, celibate man with a forceful voice, chosen from the Eumolpids, one of the original clans of Eleusis. Upon election, he cast aside his former name and was called only hierophantes.

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▪ Greek priest

      (“displayer of holy things”), in ancient Greece, chief of the Eleusinian (Eleusinian Mysteries) cult, the best-known of the mystery religions of ancient Greece. His principal job was to chant demonstrations of sacred symbols during the celebration of the mysteries. At the opening of the ceremonies, he proclaimed that all unclean persons must stay away—a rule that he had the right to enforce.

      Usually an old, celibate man with a forceful voice, he was selected from the Eumolpids, one of the original clans of the ancient Greek city of Eleusis, to serve for life. Upon taking office he symbolically cast his former name into the sea and was thereafter called only hierophantēs. During the ceremonies he wore a headband and a long, richly embroidered purple robe.

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  • Hierophant — (griechisch), der Enthüller der heiligen Geheimnisse , der an der Spitze der Priester im Tempel der Demeter in Eleusis stand. Seine Würde war in dem Geschlecht des Eumolpos, des sagenhaften Stifters der Eleusinischen Mysterien, erblich. Wie der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Hierophant — Hi*er o*phant (h[ i]*[e^]r [ o]*fant or h[imac] [ e]r; 277), n. [L. hierophanta, hierophantes, Gr. ierofa nths; iero s sacred + fai nein to show, make known: cf. F. hi[ e]rophante.] The presiding priest who initiated candidates at the Eleusinian… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hierophant — (gr.), 1) der erste, bejahrte, lebenslängliche unter den Priestern bei den Eleusinien; vornehmster Priester von Attika; mußte aus der ältern Linie der Eumolpiden stammen; er hatte bei allen Feierlichkeiten der Demeter den Vorsitz u. weihte sowohl …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Hierophant — (griech.), »Enthüller der Heiligtümer«, der Oberpriester bei den eleusinischen Mysterien (s. Eleusis), aus dem Geschlecht des Eumolpos, der bei der Eleusinienfeier die geheimnisvollen Heiligtümer zu zeigen und auszulegen und dabei die auf seinen… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Hierophant — Hierophant, griech. deutsch, der erste Priester bei den Mysterien zu Eleusis, auch Mystagoge, Prophet (Ausleger der Mysterien) genannt; überhaupt Oberpriester …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • hierophant — expounder of sacred mysteries, 1670s, from L.L. hierophantes, from Gk. hierophantes one who teaches the rites of sacrifice and worship, lit. one who shows sacred things, from hieros sacred (see IRE (Cf. ire)) + phainein to reveal, bring to light… …   Etymology dictionary

  • hierophant — [hī′ər ō fant΄] n. [LL hierophanta < Gr hierophantēs < hieros (see HIERO ) + phainein, to show (see FANTASY)] 1. in ancient Greece, a priest of a mystery cult 2. a person confidently expounding, explaining, or promoting something mysterious …   English World dictionary

  • Hierophant — The role of the hierophant in religion is to bring the congregants into the presence of that which is deemed holy. The word comes from Ancient Greece, where it was constructed from the combination of ta hiera, the holy, and phainein, to show. In… …   Wikipedia

  • Hierophant — Значимость предмета статьи поставлена под сомнение. Пожалуйста, покажите в статье значимость её предмета, добавив в неё доказательства значимости по частным критериям значимости или, в случае если частные критерии значимости для… …   Википедия

  • Hierophant (Mythologie) — hieß ehemals der Oberpriester der Ceres zu Eleusis, dessen Würde erblich war und der bei der Feier der Mysterien im purpurnen Gewande, mit dem Diadem geschmückt, auf prächtigem Throne sitzend, das Lob der Demeter und ihrer unterirdischen Tochter… …   Damen Conversations Lexikon

  • hierophant — noun Etymology: Late Latin hierophanta, from Greek hierophantēs, from hieros + phainein to show more at fancy Date: 1677 1. a priest in ancient Greece; specifically the chief priest of the Eleusinian mysteries 2. a. expositor b. advocate 2 •… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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