What does the cryptic crossword clue "Religious leader symbolically lists three elements and start of another (5)" mean?

The definition is "Religious leader". The wordplay uses a deletion. CALIF (deletion) = CALIF; definition: "Religious leader" The answer is CALIF.

Religious leader symbolically lists three elements and start of another (5)

Guardian Cryptic #29012 | 21 Down | 2023-03-08 flower