List of fictional clergy and religious figures explained

Clergy and other religious figures have generally represented a popular outlet for pop culture. Some of the more popular clergy, members of religious orders, and other religious personages featured in works of fiction are listed below.

Christianity

Catholic Church

Monks and friars

• Frère Jacques^[1]
• The Monk – The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer^[2]
• Friar Tuck – Robin Hood^[3]
• Ambrosio - The Monk^[4]
• William of Baskerville – The Name of the Rose^[5]
• Brother Cadfael – protagonist of historical mystery novels by Ellis Peters^[6]

Nuns

• The Second Nun – The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• Sister Fidelma – protagonist of historical mystery novels by Peter Tremayne
• Ciel – Character from Tsukihime and the Melty Blood series
• Sister Jeanne – from The Devils
• Sister Bertrille (and several others) - from The Flying Nun
  • • • • Sister Boniface (and others) - from Sister Boniface Mysteries Sister Andrea - Evil (TV series) Sister Assumpta (and others) - Father Ted Sister Simone - from Mrs. Davis Sister Michael - from Derry Girls

Priests

• Claude Frollo – The Hunchback of Notre-Dame^[7]
  • Claude Frollo – from the Disney adaptation
• Father John Brown – created by G. K. Chesterton^[8]
• Father Ted Crilly – Father Ted^[9]
• Father Dámaso – Noli Me Tángere
• Mr. Eko – Lost^[10]
• Betheal Gavarre (Belial) – Priest manhwa
• Father Dougal McGuire – Father Ted TV series
• Father John Mulcahy – M*A*S*H TV series and film
• Father Burke – The Conjuring franchise
• Father Gordon – The Conjuring franchise
• The Nun's Priest – The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• The Pardoner – The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• The Parson – The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• Don Abbondio - The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni
• Father Guido Sarducci – Vatican gossip columnist played by comedian Don Novello on Saturday Night Live and other TV shows and films
• Don Camillo Tarocci – Giovannino Guareschi's tales
• Nicholas D. Wolfwood – Trigun
• Enrico Pucci – a chaplain at the Green Dolphin Street Prison aspiring to achieve Heaven for all mankind, friend of DIO, main antagonist of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean
• Kirei Kotomine – main antagonist of Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero and Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works, also has minor appearances in Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya, Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel and Fate/Grand Order
• Risei Kotomine - Kirei Kotomine's father, Fate/Zero
• John Ward - The main protagonist of
  • Father Garcia- Another protagonist of Faith: The Unholy Trinity Father David Acosta (and others) - Evil
• Father Jacob Myers (and others) - Apparitions
• Padre Manuel Vergara - 30 Coins
• Father Peter - Derry Girls

Bishops

• • Bishop René d'Herblay of Vannes – the D'Artagnan Romances novels of Alexandre Dumas, père Bishop Len Brennan - Father Ted TV show

Popes

• Pope Joan – 9th-century legendary figure^[11]
• Pope Urban X – Candide (1759 satire)
• Pope Hadrian VII – Hadrian the Seventh (1904 novel)
• Pope John XXIV – Lord of the World (1907 novel)
• Pope Sylvester III – Lord of the World (1907 novel)
• Pope Kiril I – The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968 film)
• Pope Sixtus VII – Good News from the Vatican (1971 short story)
• Pope Urban IX – Urban the Ninth (1973 novel)
• Pope Marx I – Marx the First (1975 novel)
• Pope Peter II – Peter the Second (1976 novel)
• Pope Francis I – The Vicar of Christ (1979 novel)
• Pope Gregory XVII – Earthly Powers (1980 novel)
• Pope John XXIX – The Last World (1988 short story)
• Pope John Paul I (Cardinal Lamberto) – The Godfather Part III (1990 film)^[12]
• Pope David I – The Pope Must Die (1991 film)
• Pope Pius XX – (1997 novel)
• Pope Genevieve G. Rota – Lexx (1997 TV series)
• Pope Peter II – The Accidental Pope (2000 novel)
• Pope Oswald Leopold II – Battle Pope (2000 comic book series)
• Pope Peter II – The Third Secret (2005 novel)
• Pope Innocent XIV - Conclave (2016 novel)
• Pope Marcellus IX – Through Darkest Europe (2018 novel)
• Pope Pius XIII – The Young Pope (2016 TV series) and The New Pope (2020 TV series)^[13]
  • A separate Pope Pius XIII - Oblivion (2012 novel)
• Pope Francis II - The New Pope (2020 TV series)
• Pope John Paul III – The New Pope (2020 TV series)

Saints

• Saint Grobian – a fictional patron saint of vulgar and coarse people in various late Medieval satirical works^[14]
• Saint Xynoris – A fictional Saint accidentally created through mistranslation

Other

• Dean Jocelin - Dean of the cathedral in William Golding's The Spire.

Eastern Orthodox Church

Monks

• Father Zosima – The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky^[15]

Nuns

• Sister Pelagia – Pelagia and the White Bulldog and sequels by Boris Akunin^[16]

Saints

• Saint Javelin – A fictional Ukrainian saint used as a propaganda symbol in the Russo-Ukrainian War^[17]

Anglican/Episcopal churches

Priests

• William Collins – Pride and Prejudice, novel by Jane Austen; also several film and TV adaptations
• Leonard Clement – The Murder at the Vicarage, novel by Agatha Christie
• Theodore Venables – The Nine Tailors, novel by Dorothy L. Sayers
• Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn – Doctor Syn series of novels by Russell Thorndike^[18]
• Josiah Crawley – Chronicles of Barsetshire series of novels by Anthony Trollope
• Theophilus Grantly – Chronicles of Barsetshire series of novels by Anthony Trollope
• Dr Vesey Stanhope – Chronicles of Barsetshire series of novels by Anthony Trollope
• Mark Robarts – Chronicles of Barsetshire series of novels by Anthony Trollope
• Father Gabriel Stokes – The Walking Dead^[19]
• Ashley Thomas – Emmerdale
• Harriet Finch – Emmerdale
• Charles Anderson – Emmerdale
• Billy Mayhew – Coronation Street
• Adam Smallbone – Rev.
• Father Jack – Six Feet Under
• Sidney Chambers – Grantchester
• Daniel Webster – The Book of Daniel
• Canon John Tallis – works of Madeleine L'Engle
• Geraldine Granger - The Vicar of Dibley
• Alf Bloxby (books) / Jez Bloxby (TV) - Agatha Raisin (TV series)

Bishops

• Bishop Proudie of Barchester – Chronicles of Barsetshire series of novels by Anthony Trollope

Mormonism

Fundamentalist leaders

• Bill Henrickson – Big Love
• Roman Grant – Big Love

Baptists

• Jesse Custer – Preacher, comic created by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon^[20]
• Chaplain Captain Albert T. Tappman – Catch-22, novel by Joseph Heller

Methodists

• Father Mapple – Moby-Dick^[21]
• Brother Justin Crow – an aspiring radio preacher in Carnivàle
• Norman Balthus – Brother Justin's guardian and mentor in Carnivàle

Other Protestants

• Derrial Book, Shepherd – Firefly
• Caleb – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Eric Camden – 7th Heaven
• Ivan Isaacs – Priest
• Reverend Timothy Lovejoy – The Simpsons^[22]
• Reverend Harry Powell – The Night of the Hunter (1953)^[23]
• William Stryker – Marvel Comics^[24]
• Reverend Nathaniel Cole - Congregationalist minister in Hell on Wheels
• Ruth Cole - Congregationalist preacher in Hell on Wheels
• Joseph Black Moon - Congregationalist preacher in Hell on Wheels
• Reverend Orville Swanson – Congregationalist minister in Red Dead Redemption 2

Unspecified Christian

• Prester John – Christian priest-king of medieval legend^[25]

Shinto

Miko

(Names are listed by alphabetically by given name in the western convention of given-name, surname for clarity.)

• Arashi Kishū – X
• Ayako Matsuzaki – Ghost Hunt
• Chikane Himemiya and Himeko Kurusugawa – Kannazuki no Miko
• Kagome Higurashi, Kikyo, and Kaede – Inuyasha
• Kagami Hiiragi and Tsukasa Hiiragi – Lucky Star
• Kaho Mizuki – Cardcaptor Sakura
• Machi Amayadori –
• Momiji – Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive
• Nozomi Tojo - Love Live! School Idol Project^[26]
• Koyori – Samurai Aces
• Pocky – Pocky & Rocky
• Sailor Mars (Rei Hino) – Sailor Moon
  • Sakura Miko – Hololive Rika Furude –
• Ruka (Luka) Urushibara – Steins;Gate
• Reimu Hakurei and Sanae Kochiya – Touhou Project
• Saya Kisaragi – Blood-C
• Togashi – Sengoku Blade
• Princess Tomoyo –
• Yae Miko and Sangonomiya Kokomi – Genshin Impact
• Yae Sakura – Honkai Impact 3rd
• Utahime Iori – Jujutsu Kaisen

Buddhism

Mahayana

Monks

• Kwai Chang Caine – Kung Fu
• Hoichi the Earless (Zen) – Japanese folklore^[27]
• Liu Kang – Mortal Kombat^[28]
• Kung Lao – Mortal Kombat

Hinduism

Sadhu

Dhalsim – Street Fighter

Shamanism

Ainu religion

• Nakoruru and Rimururu – Samurai Shodown^[29]

North American shamanism

• Nightwolf – Mortal Kombat^[30]

Judaism

• Rabbi David Small – Friday the Rabbi Slept Late
• Rabbi Avram – The Frisco Kid

Unclassified, fictional, or non-specific religions

• Adiris - Babylonian priestess, Dead by Daylight
• Otto Stamper - leader of The Fold, a cult residing in The Garden of Joy, responsible for summoning The Dredge, Dead by Daylight
• Abdul Alhazred - author of the Necronomicon, mentioned in various works by Howard Philips Lovecraft
• The Lamb - unnamed protagonist of the indie video game Cult of the Lamb^[31]
• The Vestal (Junia) - former priestess of an unknown church, Darkest Dungeon and Darkest Dungeon II
• The Occultist (Alhazred) - former leader of a cult, Darkest Dungeon and Darkest Dungeon II
• Bensheng - leader of Happiness Metta Power Group, a fictional cult,
• Lin Lu-ho - leader of New Spiritual Society, a cult residing in Penghu, The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon
• Priest - Nameless ally who reverses transformations in Pizza Tower. Has a pizza printed on his biretta, but his exorcist counterpart uses a crucifix, suggesting he may be Christian.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 'Frère Jacques' lyrics: what are the lyrics to the famous French nursery rhyme? . 2024-10-29 . www.classical-music.com . en.
2. Web site: 7.6 The Monk's Prologue and Tale . 2024-10-29 . chaucer.fas.harvard.edu . en.
3. Kaler . Anne K. . 1997 . Who is that Monk in the Hood?: Friar Tuck, Francis of Assisi, and Robin Hood . The Journal of Popular Culture . en . 30 . 4 . 51–74 . 10.1111/j.0022-3840.1997.3004_51.x . 0022-3840.
4. Web site: The Monk Gothic Horror, Supernatural & Mystery Britannica . 2024-10-29 . www.britannica.com . en.
5. Web site: William of Bakersville - Detective . 2024-10-29 . www.detecs.org.
6. News: Mamata . Bidisha . 2009-06-11 . Master of the medieval mystery . 2024-10-29 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
7. Web site: The Hunchback of Notre Dame Victor Hugo, Charles Laughton, Maureen O’Hara Britannica . 2024-10-29 . www.britannica.com . en.
8. Web site: Father Brown Detective, Priest, Mystery Britannica . 2024-10-29 . www.britannica.com . en.
9. News: Harrison . Andrew . 2015-04-20 . Father Ted’s legacy, 20 years on: up with this sort of thing . 2024-10-29 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
10. Web site: 2006-01-12 . On ‘Lost,’ Eko is a man divided . 2024-10-29 . TODAY.com . en.
11. Web site: Pope Joan Legend & History Britannica . 2024-10-29 . www.britannica.com . en.
12. Web site: Bollig . Joe . 2019-09-11 . How The Godfather made me a better Christian . 2024-10-29 . The Leaven Catholic Newspaper . en-US.
13. News: Mangan . Lucy . 2016-10-27 . The Young Pope review – fantastically anxiety-inducing viewing for lapsed Catholics . 2024-10-29 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
14. Web site: Definition of GROBIAN . 2024-10-29 . . en.
15. Anderson . Roger B. . 1979 . Mythical Implications of Father Zosima's Religious Teachings . Slavic Review . en . 38 . 2 . 272–289 . 10.2307/2497087 . 0037-6779.
16. Web site: 2008-05-25 . Nun has sleuth skills, feminist views . 2024-10-29 . Newspapers.com . The Philadelphia Inquirer . en-US.
17. News: Debusmann . Bernd Jr . 2022-03-10 . How 'Saint Javelin' raised over $1m for Ukraine . 2024-10-29 . . en-GB.
18. Web site: The Reverend Dr Syn, the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh . 2024-10-29 . www.internationalhero.co.uk.
19. Web site: Seth Gilliam reacts to Father Gabriel's 'Walking Dead: Ones Who Live' surprise return . 2024-10-29 . EW.com . en.
20. Web site: Thakuri . Aaindri . 2024-08-26 . Preacher: A comprehensive guide to the cast and characters in the show . 2024-10-29 . www.soapcentral.com . en-us.
21. Web site: Chapter 9: The Sermon Moby Dick Herman Melville Lit2Go ETC . 2024-10-29 . etc.usf.edu.
22. Web site: VanHooker . Brian . 2024-03-22 . 10 ‘Simpsons’ Characters Even More Obnoxious Than Comic Book Guy . 2024-10-29 . Cracked.com . en.
23. Web site: 2021-01-19 . ‘Night of the Hunter’: Rise and Fall of an American Con Man - Moundsville: PBS Film & Magazine . 2024-10-29 . moundsville.org . en-US.
24. Web site: William Stryker Powers, Enemies, History Marvel . 2024-10-29 . www.marvel.com.
25. Web site: Prester John Legendary Ruler of the East Britannica . 2024-10-29 . www.britannica.com . en.
26. kanda_myoujin. 神田明神. 551083827108380673. 2 January 2015. TOKYO MXテレビで、アニメ「ラブライブ！」が、1月4日23時から放送されます。 神田明神公式アイドルの「東條 希」が出演していて、神田明神もアニメ中に出てきます。 僕、ししまいも応援していますよm(_ _)m.
27. Web site: Miminashi Hōichi Yokai.com . 2024-10-29 . yokai.com.
28. Web site: Saltzman . Mitchell . 2019-01-17 . The Story So Far: Mortal Kombat . 2024-10-29 . IGN . en.
29. Spiker . Christina . 2020 . The Indigenous Shôjo: Transmedia representations of Ainu femininity in Japan’s Samurai Spirits, 1993–2019 . Journal of Anime and Manga Studies, vol. 1 . en . 10.21900/j.jams.v1.502. 2142/108994 . free .
30. Web site: Kobek . Patricio . 2019-08-01 . Nightwolf's Animal Spirits Are Revealed In Mortal Kombat DLC Trailer . 2024-10-29 . TheGamer . en.
31. Web site: Hashimoto . Kazuma . 2022-08-10 . Cult of the Lamb is that rare game: a fun critique of organized religion . 2024-10-29 . Polygon . en-US.