The Hierophant is tradition with hands. The teacher, the priest, the institution, the inherited way of doing something. He is not the inner voice. He is the long chain of people who have done this before you, holding the door.
Upright
Upright, the Hierophant is a sign to go and learn from someone who has already done it. A mentor, a teacher, a school, a religion. Not because the path is the only path, but because the shortcut has been mapped.
Reversed
Reversed, this card is the inherited rule that no longer fits. The family pattern, the religious script, the way the women in your house always have done it. The card is permission to refuse it and find your own.
When it shows up
The Hierophant appears around teachers, weddings, ceremonies, anything formal. He is asking whether you respect the form or just resent it.