Hierophant - the scepter question

wizzle

I have a question about the scepter that the Hierophant is holding.

I looked at some of the other threads on this board and folks variously think it's a scepter, or a crosier. Whatever.

My question concerns the three crosses on the scepter. Why three? Why do they get smaller? Is there a relationship between the 3 crosses and the triple crown he wears? Is this scepter associated with Free Masonry in any way? I seem to remember seeing this symbol in connection with Easter Seals or the March of Dimes (can't remember which, though). Were either of these efforts founded by Masons? Has anyone seen this symbol used on anything else?

Inquiring minds want to know.
 

Fulgour

Papal Cross - A cross with three cross bars.

The Papal cross is the official emblem of the Catholic Papal office
and is used only by the Pope. The three bars represent the Pope's
realms of (self-proclaimed, thus questionable) religious authority:

Catholic Church, Catholic World, and Catholic Heaven

Origin/Meaning: The papal cross is the attribute of St. Gregory
(pope, 6th-7th centuries).

The royal arms of Catalonia-Aragon:
http://www.ngw.nl/int/spa/images/ec17163.jpg
(The pope has always had powerful friends.)
 

wizzle

Thanks Fulgour. I figured you might have the answer.

And thanks too for the link.
 

Fulgour

Face Value

Before the Golden Dawn moved all the numbers up by ONE place
to accomadate ZERO and provide themselves a Mercury Magus,
and it should be noted the evidence is against the RWS being a
Golden Dawn deck at all (Courts, Colour, ETC.), just by looking
at Le Pape one couldn't help but notice he brandished the letter
symbol from the Phoenician which corresponded to XV Le Diable.

Phoenician Samekh (click on)

Click on: Letter 15 ie; XV
Samekh is the fifteenth letter of the Phoenician
and Hebrew alphabets. The Phoenician letter gave
rise to the Greek Chi and Xi, and Latin X.

*

Whether we take the Tarot at face value, or face value,
it doesn't hurt to consider the deeply humorous aspects.
 

magpie9

I read that the cross with 3 crossbars represented the 7 deadly sins. And the Pope would be carrying that because.......?
 

RChMI

For Freemasonry, the Triple Cross can represent the Triple Tau , which is seen in larger lodges and within Roslyn Chapel, relating to the Jerusalem Church.

Astrologically, a Tau Cross (T) or the Latin Cross relates to a Square Aspect of 90 degrees, a St. Andrews (X) or St. Loraine Cross relates to a Sextile Aspect of 60 degrees. A Triple Cross could relate to a Quincunx Aspect of 150 degrees, which is 30 degrees short of an Opposition of planets, said to signify growth or adjustment.
 

Peredur

Hierophant's Scepter

As correctly identified by Fulgour, this is the Papal Cross. Although not used in Craft (Blue) Freemasonry, a cross with two horizontal bars is used in the degrees of the Scottish Rite.
Bob
 

RChMI

The Triple Tau may be seen in the layout of pillars within Rosslyn Chapel and to an extent in the pillar arrangements of some larger Masonic Temples.
 

Grizabella

magpie9 said:
I read that the cross with 3 crossbars represented the 7 deadly sins. And the Pope would be carrying that because.......?

So he can whack us with it when we commit one of the seven deadly sins?

I don't know.

:)
 

ArcanoMáximo

The Trinity is the same Unity

It's a very personal idea, but as for me THE HIEROPHANT always has been the representative of the group ideas, where the welfare of all the beings is more important than the welfare of one alone, then this sum of crosses forming only one represents exactly that: from the result of the sum of the parts arises an structure that is above even of the simple addition of the parts.
Just a thought.
AM*