astronomer-priest

plural astronomer-priests

1. A leader in various ancient religions which worshipped heavenly bodies as gods and goddesses.

   In most countries the astronomer-priests seem to have arranged it so that the rays once a year allowed to penetrate into their Holy of Holies should fall upon and illuminate an image of the Sun-God[.]

   1895, John Denham Parsons, Our Sun-god; Or, Christianity Before Christ, London, page 164

   1 more example

   We must remember, as von Dechend warns, that when we are dealing with seemingly absurd mythological narratives, we should not be patronizing, but we should realize that we are dealing with the technical language of an elite caste of astronomer-priests.

   1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 211