Pope Joan: The Veiled Truth
Updated: Jun 27
Whether she existed as a historical person remains debated. Yet for nearly seven centuries, the story of a woman who rose through the Church disguised as a man captured the imagination of Europe.
The Legend
According to medieval accounts, Joan was an extraordinarily intelligent woman born in the early Middle Ages.
Denied access to education because of her sex, she disguised herself as a man and adopted the name Johannes Anglicus (“John the Englishman”). Possessing exceptional learning in theology, philosophy, languages, and scripture, she traveled among scholars and clergy, earning admiration for her brilliance.
Her scholarship carried her steadily upward through the ranks of the Church.
Eventually, according to the legend, she was elected Pope.
For two years she ruled successfully, her true identity unknown even to those closest to her.
Then came the event that made the story unforgettable.
During a papal procession through Rome, Joan suddenly went into labor and gave birth in the street before the assembled crowd.
In a single moment, the hidden truth was revealed.
The woman who had occupied the highest office in Christendom could no longer remain concealed.
Different versions of the story describe different endings some tragic, some merciful but all agree on the central theme:
The truth emerges when it is ready.
Pope Joan and the Tarot
In some of the earliest surviving Tarot decks, the card we now know as The High Priestess was not called “The High Priestess” at all.
She was La Papessa The Female Pope.
The card appeared alongside:
The Pope
The Emperor
The Empress
as one of the great figures of authority.
No explanation was given.
Medieval players would likely have recognized the image, some connected her to Pope Joan.
Others saw her as the Church personified.
Others associated her with divine wisdom (Sophia).
The ambiguity was part of her power.
Unlike modern esoteric decks, the earliest Tarot cards were not accompanied by guidebooks explaining their meanings. Symbols were expected to speak for themselves.
The Female Pope stood among kings, emperors, and pontiffs as a legitimate figure of authority.
From Papessa to High Priestess
As Tarot evolved, especially in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, occultists began reinterpreting the cards through Hermetic, Kabbalistic, and esoteric lenses.
The Papessa gradually transformed.
She became:
The Keeper of Mysteries
The Veiled Wisdom Figure
The Guardian of Hidden Knowledge
The Initiatrix
Eventually the title shifted from The Female Pope to The High Priestess. The symbolism remained remarkably similar as the Pope Joan archetype evolved.
And many ways, Pope Joan remains exactly what the earliest Tarot artists understood her to be: Mater Veritatis Absconditus Mother of Hidden Truth.
Further Reading For The Curious Reader
Scholars continue to debate whether she was a historical figure, a political satire, or a moral tale that evolved over centuries.
Primary and Historical Sources
Chronica Universalis Mettensis (c. 1250) One of the earliest written references to Pope Joan.
Chronicon Pontificum et Imperatorum (13th century) The account that popularized the story throughout medieval Europe.
Giovanni Boccaccio, De Mulieribus Claris (On Famous Women) Includes a retelling of Pope Joan's story.
Historical Studies
Pope Joan - by Donna Woolfolk Cross. A modern examination of the legend, its origins, and cultural influence.
The Female Pope - A Historical study by Emmanouēl D. Rhoidēs
Encyclopaedia Britannica entry on Pope Joan - A concise overview of the historical debate.
Tarot History
A Wicked Pack of Cards - by Ian J. Press, Ronald Decker, and Michael DummettA foundational study of tarot history and symbolism.
The Game of Tarot - by Michael Dummett Considered one of the most important scholarly works on early tarot.
The Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards - by Michael Dummett Discusses the historical imagery of the earliest surviving tarot decks, including La Papessa.
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