A Straight Dope Classic from Cecil's Storehouse of Human Knowledge
What does "Judas Priest" mean?
May 10, 1996
Dear Cecil:
What does "Judas Priest" mean? Besides being the name of a bitchin' heavy-metal band, it was something my grampa used to exclaim every time the hated Philadelphia Phillies scored a run against the Giants. Was gramps ahead of his time musically, or did the band rip him off?
Dear Tommy:
The truly great cusswords span the generations, don't they? The answer to your question is none of the above. Gramps was just trying not to scandalize grandma. "Judas Priest" is a blasphemous-sounding but meaningless euphemism for "Jesus Christ."
