From the book
Ancient Mystic Oriental Masonry
R. Swinburne Clymer · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordA hierophant is an instructor or revealer of sacred matters.
- In Ancient Mystic Oriental MasonryAncient initiations are described through explainers and dispensers of Mysteries.
- In this editionCapitalization varies in the source and is retained in excerpts.
- A place to readF.117: “14. " ' But they had also secret sciences known only to the highest among them” …
Meaning
A hierophant is an instructor or revealer of sacred matters. In the regulations, higher hierophants exercise authority above the visible principal office.
Use in the book
Ancient initiations are described through explainers and dispensers of Mysteries. The regulations give the title a present organizational role: their location is secret, they cannot be changed by a new Grand Master, and they provide the stated limit upon his power.
Places to read
- Foundations of Mystic Masonry · Block 117“14. " ' But they had also secret sciences known only to the highest among them — called Magos, Mage, or the Wise Master, who taught the people Divine things. "” …
- Masonic Symbolism · Block 111… “East, the West, and the South the principal Hierophants, or explainers of the Mysteries, as the representatives of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva. Now, Brahma was the supreme Deity of the Hindoos,” …
- Rules and Regulations · Block 26… “of the States and the Secret Teacher or Hierophants of the Higher Degrees. The Brethren who come into touch with the Hierophants are absolutely forbidden, as per their Obligation, to ever” …
- Rules and Regulations · Block 27… “he cannot, under any circumstances, change the Grand Hierophants. He cannot change any of the degrees nor any of the Lodges. Each Supreme Grand Master must select his successor immediately after” …
- Rules and Regulations · Block 29… “unlimited authority for the reason that the Grand Hierophants and the Great White Brotherhood are above him in authority and he is always held accountable to them for anything that he” …
In this edition
Capitalization varies in the source and is retained in excerpts. Case-insensitive counts consolidate identical spellings without treating capitalization as a separate rank.
Reading the argument
Teaching authority and administrative authority are joined here. The claim that a superior is answerable to hierophants is the order's theory of accountability; the public rules do not give an independent procedure for examining their judgments.
Hierophant
“Hierophant” — 2 occurrences in 2 text blocks: M.52; R.26.
Hierophants
“Hierophants” — 5 occurrences in 4 text blocks: S.111; R.26–27, 29.