5 – The Hierophant
This card is traditionally presented as a masculine counterpart to The Priestess, often burdened with overt ecclesiastical imagery and explicit references to the Pope and Catholicism. I reject this interpretation as overly narrow, culturally specific, and disconnected from the older, earth-centered sources of spiritual authority that I believe The Hierophant was meant to represent. Instead, I return the card to its deeper roots by portraying the the Hierophant as the ancient Celtic deity Cernunnos.
Though much of Cernunnos’s mythology has been lost, he is consistently depicted as an antlered god—part man, part stag—aged, watchful, and wise. He is associated with torcs, serpents, fertility, and wild animals, especially deer. Druid spirituality locates the sacred in the natural world itself, emphasizing relationship, balance, and continuity rather than hierarchy or dogma. In a modern context, Cernunnos reminds us of our responsibility to live in harmony with the Earth, not to dominate or exploit it for short-term gain.
Given the current concerns about climate change, natural habitat destruction and species extinction it is an extremely relevant message.
I have remained faithful to the traditional symbolism of the Cernunnos, with one deliberate exception. Where Cernunnos is often shown holding a torc aloft, I have replaced it with the shaka gesture—a modern symbol that mirrors the torc’s horned form while conveying respect, goodwill, and shared understanding. The torc is retained around his neck, preserving its significance as a marker of authority and sacred responsibility.
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