Fear of priests or sacred things (hierophobia)

Hierophobia is a fear of priests or sacred things. It can show up as unease around clergy, discomfort at weddings, funerals or services, or avoiding religious buildings and objects. The fear may relate to faith, to authority, or to past experiences in religious settings.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek hieros, meaning sacred or holy. It is a rare term found mainly on lists of phobias, with little clinical writing about it. It sits alongside other religious-themed fears such as hagiophobia, the fear of saints or holy things, and hadephobia, the fear of hell.

What it feels like

• Tension when meeting a priest, vicar or other religious leader
• Avoiding church services, even for family occasions
• Discomfort around vestments, altars or holy water

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

Common questions

Can hierophobia come from bad experiences in a religious setting?

Sometimes. A fear of clergy can grow from feeling judged, frightened or mistreated in a religious setting, especially in childhood. If that may be part of it, a GP or specialist counsellor can help, at whatever pace feels right.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

See all session options and prices