high priest

Judaism. A chief priest, especially of the ancient Levitical priesthood. By tradition this office was restricted to men.
Mormon Church. A priest of the Melchizedek order. By tradition this office is restricted to men.
The head or chief proponent, as of a movement or doctrine.

high priesthood high priesthood n.

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High Priest

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(Heb. kohen gadol). The chief among the Priests; the first was Aaron (Ex. 28:1), and all later High Priests (and other priests) were required to be descended from him. The High Priest was distinguished from the ordinary priest in several ways. In addition to the four garments worn by all priests (coat, girdle, turban, breeches), the High Priest also wore the apron (ephod) made of wool and linen, the breastplate (ḥoshen) which contained the 12 precious stones inscribed with the names of the 12 tribes, a robe made of blue wool, and a gold headplate on which were inscribed the words "Holy to the Lord" (see Priestly Garments). These garments were worn during the High Priest's service in the Temple. Although all priests were anointed with holy oil, only the High Priest had the oil poured over his head. In his garments of gold, blue, and purple, the gold plate worn on his head, and the anointing with oil, the High Priest resembled royalty, sharing these features with the Jewish monarch.

The outstanding garment worn by the High Priest was the breastplate, which contained the oracle, the Urim and Thummim (Divine Names which could not be erased). If a king or the head of the Sanhedrin wished to inquire of God about embarking on a war or other issues of community importance, he went to the High Priest while he wore the breastplate. The High Priest faced the Divine Presence (Shekhinah) as the question was asked, and when the letters inscribed on the stones lit up, he would read the answer (Yoma 73a).

The High Priest's service in the Temple was distinguished by the privilege he had of making sin-offerings at the inner altar and entering the Holy of Holies. The offerings were made to atone for his personal sins, for sins in judgment made by the Sanhedrin, and for communal sins. The High Priest's most solemn (Avodah) service was performed on the Day of Atonement. To prepare for this day, he separated himself from his family a week beforehand and lived in the Temple in order to purify himself and review the laws of his service. After staying up all night on the Day of Atonement itself, the High Priest offered up personal and communal sacrifices, changed his clothes, and immersed himself in a ritual bath (Mikveh) five different times, then entered the Holy of Holies and offered special incense before the Ark of the Covenant. This incense offering required both spiritual purity and physical dexterity, and if any part of this ritual was flawed, the High Priest, it was believed, would not return from the Holy of Holies alive. When carried out properly, the service atoned for the sins of the entire Jewish nation.

According to Jewish law, the High Priest was more restricted than an ordinary priest. Not only was he forbidden to defile himself by proximity to the dead, as were all priests, but he was not even allowed to mourn for his closest relatives. In addition to the restrictions placed on all priests regarding the choice of a spouse, the High Priest had to marry a virgin.

During the Second Temple period, the office of High Priest took on more administrative responsibilities. The High Priest was often the Nasi (President) of the Sanhedrin. The Hasmonean rulers, after Judah the Maccabee, took over the office of High Priest in defiance of the stipulations of Jewish law. After the Roman conque(63 BCE) and especially during Herod's rule (37-4 BCE), the position of High Priest degenerated and became a political tool in the hands of the Romans. During the war with Rome (66-70 CE), the office was filled by lot. High Priests were often chosen from among the Sadducees, who did not accept the Oral Law, and subsequently the title of High Priest was belittled by the sages. The office of the High Priest ended with the destruction of the Second Temple. Traditionally there were 18 High Priests in the First Temple period and about 60 in Second Temple times.

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For a list of words related to high priest, see:

Titles of Rank - high priest: chief priest of Jewish Levitical priesthood; priest of Melchizedek priesthood in Mormon Church
Individuals and Titles - high priest: chief priest; primary priest of ancient Jewish Levitical priesthood

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High priest

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For other uses, see High priest (disambiguation).

The term "high priest" (or, less frequently, high priestess) usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious caste.

Contents

1 Ancient Egypt
2 Ancient Israel
3 Ancient World
4 India
5 Christianity
6 Other religions
7 Non-religious usages
8 References

Ancient Egypt

Pinudjem II as Theban High Priest of Amun. From his Book of the Dead.

In ancient Egypt, a high priest was the chief priest of any of the many gods revered by the Egyptians.

High Priests of Amun The main cult of Amun was in Thebes.
Theban High Priests of Amun While not regarded as a dynasty, the High Priests of Amun at Thebes were nevertheless of such power and influence that they were effectively the rulers of Upper Egypt from 1080 to c.943 BC
High Priest of Osiris. The main cult of Osiris was in Abydos.
High Priest of Ptah. The main cult of Ptah was in Memphis.
High Priest of Re. The main cult of Re was in Heliopolis.
God's Wife of Amun the highest ranking priestess of the Amun cult

Ancient Israel

Main article: High Priest (Judaism)

The priesthood in ancient Israel had a high priest who served in the Tabernacle then in the First Temple and Second Temple in Jerusalem.

List of High Priests of Israel
The Samaritan High Priest is the high priest of the Samaritan community.

Ancient World

Archiereus title of a high priest from Ancient Greece.
Dastur is a Zoroastrian high priest
Hierophant, the chief priest of the Eleusinian Mysteries.
NIN or EN in cuneiform script, a high priest or priestess of a Sumerian city-state's patron-deity^[1]
Pontifex Maximus from Ancient Rome.

India

Vidyaranya was a Hindu high priest in the Vijayanagara Empire.

Christianity

The New Testament book of Hebrews uses the term "high priest" sixteen times; in ten of those instances Jesus Christ is explicitly or implicitly identified as the office holder (e.g. Hebrews 3:1; 4:14; and 9:11). Some Old Testament (OT) texts prophesy of a priest-king (in ancient Israel, priests and royalty were distinct, with priests from the tribe of Levi and kings from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah). Christianity views Jesus as fulfilling these OT prophecies, effectively replacing the former Jewish system of worship.

Zechariah 6:13: "Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."
Psalm 110:2 ,4: "The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. ...The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek."

A comparison of other religions with modern Christian denominations might compare a high priest with the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church, a Patriarch in an Eastern Orthodox Church, or a Primate in an Anglican or Episcopal^{[disambiguation needed ]} church; but again it is traditional to refer only to Jesus as the one high priest of Christianity. Episcopal bodies, except in the Anglican Communion and the superintended Lutheran churches, may also referred to bishops as high priests, as they are believed to share in, that is: are considered earthly instruments of, the high priesthood of Jesus Christ. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Latter Day Saint sects, High Priest is also among the priesthood offices in the Melchizedek priesthood.

Other religions

The 16th-century Maya priesthood was headed by a high priest who instructed the other priests and advised the king.
Kahuna Nui, presides over the temple or heiau. Below the Kahuna Nui are various types and ranks of priests.
In Shinto, a high priest, called a Guji, is usually the highest ranking priest (Kannushi) in a shrine.
In Ásatrú, the high priest is called a goði (or gyða) and is the leader of a small group of practitioners collectively referred to as a Kindred. The goði are collectively known as the goðar.
In Santería, a high priest is called a Babalao. The term comes from the supreme priest of Santería, a protege of Orula. The term means wise man.
In Wicca a High Priest and High Priestess are able to lead a coven and initiate others.
In Laveyan satanism, the High Priest and High Priestess are the top of the Hierarchy.
In the Church of Satan a High Priest and High Priestess stand as administrative chiefs and primary public representatives of the church. The rival First Satanic Church is led by High Priestess Karla LaVey.

Non-religious usages

Although the title is generally used in connection with a religious organization, some non-religious groups use it either mockingly or by tradition to reference high-ranking offices within the group. For example, in Royal Arch Masonry the Excellent High Priest serves as leader of the chapter. As the title is allegorical in nature, a reference to the Kohen Gadol, the position comes with no religious authority. The phrase is also often used to describe someone who is deemed to be an innovator or leader in a field of achievement. For example, an 1893 publication describes ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes as having been "the high-priest of comedy"^[2]

The High Priestess is the second trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks.

References

^ Saggs, H. W. F. 1988, The Greatness That Was Babylon (revised edition)
^ Maurice Maeterlinck, Charlotte Endymion Porter, Poet Lore: Volume 5 (1893), p. 246.

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