V - The Pope and his Telephone Pole

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 03 Feb 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

firemaiden	03 Feb 2004
Tell me, why *does* the V-Le Pape always carry a telephone pole?

allibee	03 Feb 2004
... or a Maltese cross? :)

Macavity	03 Feb 2004
http://www.oca.org/pages/orth_chri/Q-and-A_OLD/Three-Bar-Cross.html I suppose what puzzles me is that the three-barred cross is something I would more associate with the Easter Orthodox Church? (Aside: the Minchiate has no Hierophant, rather an "Eastern Emperor" too!) But perhaps this is merely suggestive of Christian antiquity? I cannot remember where, but I'm sure I recently saw a three-pronged cross surrounded by zodiacal or elemental symbols! Perhaps like (some?) other Christian symbolism it is occult or pagan in origin? }) ISTR Crowley's Heirophant carries a... Crux Ansata? (Looks more like a carpet beater to me!) Previously I'd have associated that name with a conventional Egyptian Ankh though... ;) Macavity

HudsonGray	03 Feb 2004
I found some info. There was this site on the Russian cross, which, if you scroll down, shows the three barred cross as actually being the Papal Cross, which makes more sense. The Russian Orthodox cross has the slanted bottom bar, yes, which is similar but on this the middle one is the widest horizontal bar. http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/forlang/LLC/rus_cult/Toolweb/papers_2.htm " Cross, Papal -- (was a picture here, it didn't transfer) -- This cross is the official emblem of the papal office. It may be used by none other than the Pope himself. The three bars are sometimes said to represent the three crosses on Calvary. More probably they represent the Pope's three realms of authority: the church, the world and heaven." (end quote) There's a similar but two barred cross that was called a Patriarchal Cross, used by cardinals and archbishops of hierarchical distinction. And that ball with the center band, and the cross on the top--that's called by three different names, the Triumphant Cross, Cross of Victory, or the Orb. It stands for the final triumph & rein of Christ over the world (in Christian art). Combined with the Papal hat - http://landru.i-link-2.net/shnyves/pope.symbols.html - it definately fits on the card. I tried to find some sort of dates on the thing, which would narrow down country & time frame, but no go.

allibee	04 Feb 2004
Check out last weeks thread on the hieophants' (pontifical) gloves, the info is there as someone else is researching these things too. Sorrry, can't remember who tho

firemaiden	04 Feb 2004
I still think it looks like a telephone pole. :D :D

WalesWoman	04 Feb 2004
LOL So maybe the telephone pole would represent the Pope's direct link to God

firemaiden	04 Feb 2004
Exactly my suspicion, Wales Woman! you've nailed it on the head.

Major Tom	04 Feb 2004
My Pope soul tells me I have a direct link to God. :laugh: So do you. ;)

Phoenyx*	05 Feb 2004
So the telephone pole isn't actually a telephone pole, its a symbol of the deck creator's future, which is our present. So, therefore, the telephone pole doesn't symbolize a telephone pole but the INTERNET, which connects us all directly to God and each other at the same time.

HudsonGray	06 Feb 2004
Sooooo...that makes the weird hat he's wearing possibly one of those aluminum foil hats that make sure that aliens don't read your mind? (Where's his keyboard? Think one of the guys facing him has the laptop?)

Imagemaker	06 Feb 2004
Hey, with wireless internet wafting through the air, he needs a foil shield for his brain! Otherwise all sorts of weird ideas get lodged inside! I didn't wear my foil hat enough and look how I ended up! :D

The V - The Pope and his Telephone Pole thread was originally posted on 03 Feb 2004 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.