English

Noun

hierophanies

1. plural of hierophany
   • 1991: Robert D. Baird, Category Formation and the History of Religions, p75^{{1}, {2}, {3}, & {4}}

     ^{1}For example, the symbolism of the moon implies a system of hierophanies which cluster about the moon.

     ^{2}In the case of water symbolism, there is no such central symbol, but rather various water hierophanies.

     ^{3}In the case of water symbolism, then, some 'hierophanies such as Baptism and the Flood are more clear in their intention.

     ^{4}These systems manifest more clearly, more fully, and with greater coherence what each of the individual hierophanies intends. To interpret the hierophanies individualistically would be to lose their deepest meaning.

   • 1994: Subrata Kumar Chakrabarti, Offshore Structure Modeling, chapter 1 — Hierophany, pp7^{1} & 8^{{2} & {3}}

     ^{1}The major themes in Eliade’s thought are symbol, myth, and ritual¹, hierophanies, the sacred and the profane, the coincidentia oppositorum, the repetition of archetypal structures², illud tempus, and homo religiosus.

     ^{2}Then there are the difficulties raised by Eliade’s actual usage of his term. His first introduction of the word into his text³ is problematic. “Some hierophanies are not at all clear, are indeed almost cryptic,” he states, “in that they only reveal the sacred meanings … in part, or, as it were, in code” (Patterns, 8).

     ^{3}So, not only are things “transformed” into hierophanies, but anything can be so transformed, and yet, having been so transformed the hierophany may remain “cryptic”.