1. Government or rule by saints or holy persons; a system of governance based on religious authority or sanctity.
Usage: rare; formal; primarily used in historical or religious contexts

Examples

• Medieval Tibet operated under a form of hagiarchy, with spiritual leaders wielding temporal power.
• The concept of hagiarchy reflects the historical fusion of religious and political authority in certain societies.
• Some scholars argue that early monastic communities functioned as a hagiarchy based on the wisdom of their abbots.
• The hagiarchy of the papal states combined religious doctrine with administrative governance.