A man is seated on a throne facing us. He is between two columns, both of which are grey. There is no curtain behind him. One of his hands is raised in the sign of benediction; in the other he holds the Papal Cross. He wears the triple crown of the Pope.
Kneeling before him are two monks. Between them are two keys that are crossed.
The Hierophant represents traditions in general; traditional religion in particular. He is a teacher of religious rules.
If the High Priestess can be seen as the keeper of the secret mysteries, the Hierophant is the representative and teacher of the external spiritual laws. There is no veil behind him; there is nothing hidden.
Note the similarity between the Hierophant, the Lovers, and the Devil. In the Lovers, the angel has its hands raised in benediction; in the Devil, his hand is raised in malediction. They are all similar poses.
There is even a similarity with the Two of Cups, where the two people are presided over by a lion-like being.
Keywords: Tradition. Education. External knowledge. Lower Mysteries.