Former holy man (5)
I believe the answer is:
prior
This clue is a double definition.
'former' is the first definition.
(both can mean at earlier time)
'holy man' is the second definition.
(I've seen this before)
(Other definitions for prior that I've seen before include "English poet" , "Clergyman - earlier" , "Preceding" , "head of a religious community" , "Foregoing - cleric" .)