This article continues my series examining the trumps of the Tarot de Marseille, adapted from my unpublished manuscript, Tarot de Marseille: The Picturebook of Fate. As throughout this series, the emphasis is placed upon the traditional eikōn of the card, its historical context, and the practical significations I have found useful through divinatory practice. The interpretations presented here reflect my own experience of working with the Tarot de Marseille and should be understood as a working method rather than a definitive authority.
The Twos: The Popess, Fortitude and the Angel
Trump II, La Papesse, or the Popess, is a fascinating and often polarising card. Does she represent the occult sciences and intuition? Is she Pope Joan, a symbol of heresy and forbidden knowledge? Or does she appear to remind us that there are things we do not yet know? The Popess is a card which resists certainty. Rather than providing answers, she compels us to ask questions.
The essence of the Popess is contemplation; her function is to examine. Where other trumps encourage action, movement, or decision, the Popess calls for reflection. She urges us to pause, reconsider, and investigate before proceeding. Her lesson is simple: matters are not yet sufficiently understood.
The traditional eikōn of the Popess is remarkably consistent. We see a seated woman holding an open book. She wears a cappa magna over monastic dress and is crowned with the Triregnum, the triple crown traditionally associated with the papacy. The image is immediately arresting precisely because it appears impossible. We are told that no woman can ascend to the Petrine ministry, yet here she sits enthroned. The Popess presents a challenge. She asks a simple but unsettling question: Why? Assumptions, conventions, and accepted truths are all subjected to scrutiny in her presence.
When the Popess appears in a reading, we are often being asked to think again. Something remains unknown, overlooked, or poorly understood. There is information yet to be gathered, a perspective yet to be considered, or an assumption that requires re-examination. Until this work has been done, progress is difficult. The card therefore cautions against rushing to conclusions or acting upon incomplete knowledge.
For this reason, the Popess is closely associated with education, study, research, and scholarship. She signifies the acquisition of knowledge, the development of new skills, and the disciplined pursuit of understanding. Her book is not a decorative object but a working tool. She reminds us that ignorance is remedied not by wishing to know, but by undertaking the effort required to learn.
It is, however, somewhat facetious to attribute intuition to the Popess. This is not a figure operating upon divination, instinct or vague impressions. The Popess has a book. She consults primary sources, examines evidence, and interrogates what she finds. Her conclusions are informed rather than intuitive or divined. If the High Priestess of other traditions may rely upon hidden insight, the Marseille Popess relies upon careful thought and diligent study.
Yet contemplation has its drawbacks. The Popess is a taciturn and withdrawn figure. She speaks little and reveals less. Consequently, the card can signify poor communication, emotional withdrawal, secrecy, and a tendency to bottle matters up rather than address them openly. For this reason, it is not generally regarded as a particularly favourable card in matters of love and relationships, whether new or established. Reflection may be useful, but excessive reserve can create distance between people.
The Popess also appears when motives are being questioned and rumours are circulating. People speculate, assumptions multiply, and half-truths acquire the appearance of fact. In such circumstances the card offers a straightforward warning: do not believe everything you hear. Nor should you accept everything that is said at face value. The Popess asks us to verify, examine, and investigate. Only then does she allow us to turn the page.
General: Unforeseen developments requiring a reassessment of existing plans. The card advises observation rather than action, reflection rather than reaction. Difficulties are resolved through common sense, careful examination, and logical thought. Answers emerge through study combined with contemplation.
Love: For those who are single, the Popess generally indicates a period of waiting. The right person may not yet have appeared, and greater effort will be required to leave one’s comfort zone, socialise, or pursue new interests. The card often favours classes, courses, and educational settings as avenues through which relationships may develop. In established relationships, the Popess frequently points towards poor communication, unspoken concerns, and assumptions left unchallenged. Partners need to talk openly and honestly. More often than not, what we imagine is worse than the reality.
Career: The Popess is associated with professions involving records, information, and the preservation of knowledge. Typical occupations include archivists, librarians, curators, bookkeepers, accountants, actuaries, and those employed within the insurance sector. The card may also signify women entering professions traditionally dominated by men. In matters of employment, the Popess often indicates a gap in knowledge, qualifications, or experience. Additional study, training (including an apprenticeship), or the acquisition of new skills may be required before progress can be made.
Finance: A need to review finances carefully and gather more information before making commitments. The card favours research, budgeting, and long-term planning over speculation. Important details may be hidden or overlooked.
Health: The Popess is associated with otorhinolaryngology, particularly conditions affecting the throat and voice. Communication disorders may occasionally be indicated. More commonly, the card points towards investigation, testing, specialist referrals, and second opinions. It advises gathering more information before reaching conclusions.
Essence: Contemplation.
Function: Examine.
Polarity: Neutral.
Astrological Association: Taurus.
Timing: May.
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Tarot Cards: Jean Dodal Tarot via Wikipedia Commons. Public Domain.
Featured Image: Ancient Tarot Major Arcana © BP Grimaud/John Waddington Ltd, Leeds & London, Les Tarot de Marseille Jean Noblet, 1650 © Editions «letarot.com» (2001 [hand stencilled trumps]). Les Tarot de Marseille Jean Dodal, 1701 et 1715 © Editions «letarot.com» (2002 [hand stencilled trumps])
Journal of a Cartomante 