The Tarot of Jean Noblet, the earliest tarot in the Marseille style, was first created and published in Paris c1650. The only known copy of this 360 year old deck is preserved in the Bibliothèque Nationale, the French National Library. This deck is also unusually small, with cards measuring only 9.8 x 6.1 cms. In 2007, noted French Tarot historian and artist Jean-Claude Flornoy published a faithfully restored version.
From this re-edited version I've drawn today’s uniquely interesting card, La Papesse. This card, representing Pope Joan, the female Pope John VIII, is the forerunner of the card that in Tarot decks from the 20th century onwards has been named The High Priestess.
Pope Joan’s short reign was said to have occurred sometime between the 9th and 13th centuries. Apparently she gave birth while on her way from St Peter's to Lateran, the papal residence, during a procession. The story spread throughout Europe , and was widely believed for centuries. In 1601 Pope Clement VIII declared the story untrue, and most modern religious scholars now consider it fictitious, on the basis that there is no extant evidence to support it.
The story was widely believed, however, including amongst catholics. Among the various arguments in favour of the story, the sede stercoraria (the papal consecration throne which has a hole through which it may be verified that the pope is male). Also papal processions stopped using the street where the event was said to have occurred, despite the street being the direct route between Lateran and St Peter's. Also there is no Pope John XX on any list, and it has been claimed that this reflects the renumbering of the Popes to exclude Joan, (Pope John VIII) from any list.
The story was widely believed, however, including amongst catholics. Among the various arguments in favour of the story, the sede stercoraria (the papal consecration throne which has a hole through which it may be verified that the pope is male). Also papal processions stopped using the street where the event was said to have occurred, despite the street being the direct route between Lateran and St Peter's. Also there is no Pope John XX on any list, and it has been claimed that this reflects the renumbering of the Popes to exclude Joan, (Pope John VIII) from any list.
The LWB for the contemporary Jean Noblet deck interprets La Papesse as a grandmother. In families of today, as for many other generations, the knowledge and wisdom of the grandmother are often of enduring value to her grandchildren.
*Z*Tarot of Jean Noblet, restored by JC Flornoy©letarot.com Editions
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