Ever since Wicca got popular and Paganism started to get press, some practitioners have been throwing around titles. It sounds really impressive to be the High Priestess or Grand Master Mage, but you should be wary of those who put a lot of emphasis on their titles.

In a coven, there are usually initiates, and a High Priest and/or High Priestess. There may be some other ranks, but not commonly. Within your coven, it’s important to show respect to those of higher rank than you. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who lie about their position, or have made up titles. Having a title makes you sound important, so plenty of unscrupulous folks will claim to have titles that they don’t. If someone is throwing around a title or mark of status, ask them to offer proof of its legitimacy before you start bowing to their wisdom. (And beware of folks claiming the title of Hereditary Witch, but more on that later.)

Generally, titles aren’t that important to Pagans. They’re not fans of labels. They’re content to gain respect through their  deeds, not because someone slapped a label on them to say they’re special. Plus, in recent years, some solitary practitioners have decided that they can call themselves High Priest/Priestess because they’re the highest member of their coven of one. This obviously makes the title meaningless.

*Disclaimer: I no longer practice Paganism, but I’ve left these Pagan Myths articles active because I believe they’re still valuable in helping people to understand Paganism and reduce negative stereotypes.*

Briana Blair

Briana Blair is an author and artisan. She has published more then 30 books and thousands of articles across multiple sites. After practicing Paganism and witchcraft for 25 years, she's now on a journey as an atheist and skeptic. She's eclectic, unpredictable, and always evolving. Facebook - Twitter