Editing High priest

{{Short description|Supreme priest in several religions}}
{{Other uses|High priest (disambiguation)|High priestess (disambiguation)}}
The term "'''high priest'''" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of [[monarch|ruler]]-[[priest]], or to one who is the head of a [[religious]] organisation.

==Ancient Egypt==
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[[File:Pinudjem-II.jpg|thumb|right|[[Pinedjem II]] as [[High Priest of Amun]] in Thebes. 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.
* While not regarded as a dynasty, the [[High Priest of Amun]] at [[Thebes, Egypt]] were nevertheless of such power and influence that they were effectively the rulers of [[Upper Egypt]] from 1080 to {{Circa|943 BCE}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Dodson|first1=Aidan|author-link1=Aidan Dodson|last2=Hilton|first2=Dyan|title=The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ONKiQAAACAAJ|year=2010|publisher=Thames & Hudson|isbn=978-0-500-28857-3}}</ref>
* [[High Priest of Osiris]]. The main cult of Osiris was in [[Abydos, Egypt]].
* [[High Priest of Ptah]]. The main cult of Ptah was in [[Memphis, Egypt]].<ref name=DodsonHilton>Dodson and Hilton, ''The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt'', 2004.</ref><ref>Wilkinson, ''The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt'', 2000, Thames and Hudson, p. 83.</ref>
* [[High Priest of Ra]]. The main cult of Ra was in [[Heliopolis (ancient Egypt)|Heliopolis]].
* [[God's Wife of Amun]] – the highest-ranking priestess of the Amun cult

==Ancient Israel==
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{{Further|List of High Priests of Israel}}
[[File:High Priest.jpg|thumb|Depiction of a high priest in biblical costume, end of the 17th century, orientalising representation with turban, in the collection of the [[Jewish Museum of Switzerland]]]]
The [[High Priest of Israel]] served in the [[Tabernacle]], then in [[Solomon's Temple]] and the [[Second Temple]] in [[Jerusalem]]. The [[Samaritan High Priest]] is the high priest of the [[Samaritans]].

==Ancient world==
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* [[Archiereus]], title of a high priest from Ancient Greece
* [[Dastur]], a Zoroastrian high priest
* [[Hierophant]], the chief priest of the [[Eleusinian Mysteries]]
* [[NIN (cuneiform)]] or [[EN (cuneiform)]], a high priest or priestess of a [[city-state]]'s patron-deity in [[Sumer]]
* [[Pontifex maximus]] from Ancient Rome
* [[Pythia]], high priestess of the [[Temple of Apollo (Delphi)]]

==China==
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* [[Zhang Lu (Han dynasty)|Zhang Lu]] was the third generation of [[Way of the Celestial Masters|Celestial Masters]] lineage from [[Zhang Daoling]], was a high priest and appointed as General of the Household Who Guards Civilians (鎮民中郎將) and the Administrator of Hanning (漢寧太守) by imperial government.
* [[Kou Qianzhi]] (365–448) was conferred as the high priest or ''Tian Shi'' by [[Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei]], which eventually established [[The Northern Celestial Masters]].

==India==
* [[Vidyaranya]] was a high priest in the [[Vijayanagara Empire]].
* ''Panditrao'' was a title of the appointed high priest that sat on the Council of 8 ([[Ashta Pradhan]]) in the early [[Maratha Empire]].
* The title of high priest is used in the [[Śvētāmbara]] sect of [[Jainism]].

==Christianity==
{{Further|Threefold office}}
The [[Epistle to the Hebrews]] refers to Jesus as high priest.<ref>see {{Bibleverse|Hebrews|2:17}}, {{Bibleverse|Hebrews|3:1}}, {{Bibleverse|Hebrews|4:14-15}}, {{Bibleverse|Hebrews|5:1}}; {{Bibleverse|Hebrews|6:20}}, {{Bibleverse|Hebrews|9:11-10:39}}</ref>

In [[Christianity]], a high priest could sometimes be compared to the [[Pope]] in the [[Catholic Church]], to a [[patriarch]] in the [[Oriental Orthodox Churches]], the [[Church of the East]] and the [[Eastern Orthodox Churches]] (the [[Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople]] is a ''[[primus inter pares]]'') or to a [[primate (bishop)|primate]] in the [[Anglican Communion]] (the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] is a ''primus inter pares''), but it is traditional to refer to it only to [[Jesus Christ]] as the only high priest of Christianity. Throughout the episcopal body, except in the [[Anglican]] and [[Lutheran]] communions, [[bishop]]s may also be referred to as high priests, since they share in or are considered earthly instruments of the high priesthood of Jesus Christ.

[[High priest (Latter Day Saints)|High priest]] is an office of the [[Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|priesthood]] within the [[Melchizedek priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Melchizedek priesthood]] in most denominations of the [[Latter Day Saint movement]].

==Mandaeism==
{{Further|Ganzibra|Rishama|Mandaean priest}}
A high priest in [[Mandaeism]] is known as a [[ganzibra]].<ref name="Gelbert 2005">{{cite book|last=Gelbert|first=Carlos|title=The Mandaeans and the Jews|publisher=Living Water Books|publication-place=Edensor Park, NSW|year=2005|isbn=0-9580346-2-1|oclc=68208613}}</ref> The head of all of the high priests within a Mandaean community is known as a [[rishama]].

==Other religions==
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* [[Way of the Celestial Masters|The Celestial Masters]] was founded by [[Zhang Daoling]] in 142 CE, they have been the high priests and spiritual leaders in [[Zhengyi Dao|Zhengyi Order]] of [[Taoism]] until present days. The 63rd Celestial Master, Zhang En Pu eventually migrated to [[Taiwan]] in 1949.
* 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 [[Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism]], the High Priest is considered to be successor to [[Nichiren]], through the lineage of [[Nikko Shonin]]. 
* The [[Dalai Lama]] is the head of the [[Gelug]] school of [[Tibetan Buddhism]]. 
* [[Chief Rabbi]] is the title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's [[Jews|Jewish community]], or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities. Since 1911 Israel has had two chief rabbis, one [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenazi]] and one [[Sephardi Jews|Sephardi]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Cameron Brown |url=http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2000/issue4/jv4n4a3.html |title=Rabbi Ovadia Yosef And His Culture War in Israel |publisher=Meria.idc.ac.il |access-date=9 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029213241/http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2000/issue4/jv4n4a3.html |archive-date=29 October 2011}}</ref>
* In [[Shinto]], a high priest, called a ''Guji'', is usually the highest-ranking priest ([[Kannushi]]) in a shrine.
* [[Grand Mufti]] is the title for the leading [[Islam]]ic jurist of a country, typically Sunni, who may oversee other muftis. 
* The [[Grand Imam of al-Azhar]] is considered, by most Muslims, to be the highest authority in [[Sunni Islam]]ic thought and [[Islamic jurisprudence]]<ref>{{harvnb|Bennett|2005|p=220}}</ref> and holds great influence on followers of the theological [[Ash'ari]] and [[Maturidi]] traditions worldwide. 
* 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 (Asatru)|Kindred]]. The goði are collectively known as the ''goðar''. Some countries use the term [[Allsherjargoði]] for national multi-kindred organizations, most notably Iceland's.
* In both the [[Yoruba religion]] and a number of its various [[New World]] sects, such as [[Santeria]], a high priest is called a [[Babalawo]]. The term means ''wise man'', and comes from the [[Yoruba language]] of [[West Africa]]. A female holder of the title is known as an [[Iyanifa]].
* In [[Wicca]], High Priest and High Priestess are the roles of the man and woman who are leading a group ritual. High Priest and High Priestess are also titles sometimes conferred on the members of a Wiccan coven when they have completed their third, or fifth year of study and practice. Sometimes called Third degree, depending on path or tradition.
* The High Priest and High Priestess are the two highest positions of leadership and administration within the [[Church of Satan]].
* In some [[Slavic Native Faith|Rodnover]] organisations in Russia, the [[volkhv]] is the title used for the high priest, or priests in higher ranks.

==Non-religious usages==
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".<ref>Maurice Maeterlinck, Charlotte Endymion Porter, ''Poet Lore: Volume 5'' (1893), p. 246.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Neal Boortz]] often refers to himself on air as the "High Priest of the Church of the Painful Truth".<ref>{{cite web|last=Eagleton |first=John |title=Neil Boortz's Commencement Speech |url=http://www.johneagleton.com/blog/12-general/314-neal-boortzs-commencement-speech |access-date=8 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101114546/http://www.johneagleton.com/blog/12-general/314-neal-boortzs-commencement-speech |archive-date=1 January 2013 }}</ref>
* [[The High Priestess]] is the second trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional [[Tarot]] decks.
* In [[Royal Arch Masonry]] the Excellent High Priest serves as leader of the chapter.
* Singer [[Nina Simone]] is often referred to as the High Priestess of Soul.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Religious leadership roles]]