Lord of the Rings: Apocalyptic Prophecies

[Elizabeth]

     In summary, there is evidence of a ‘priesthood’, a ‘church’ and a ‘true faith’ influencing Tolkien’s work skilfully concealed in the text. In fact, if reference to the Catholic Faith is intended, no doubt the White Council and the wise ‘priesthood’ of the Istari are representative of the Church. The ‘angelic’ Gandalf is eventually made ‘pontiff’ when he deposes Saruman by rightful authority invested in him from Beyond, “You have no colour now, and I cast you from the order and the Council”.57 Gandalf wears ‘papal’ white, and has symbolically carried out the threefold office conferred upon the Church: that of teacher, of priest, and of shepherd. Of importance, he remains faithful as a ‘servant of the Secret Fire’ and therefore, defends the doctrine of the Trinity.
     He also bears the symbols of his authority as ‘pontiff’, a staff and a ring. Like Christ, he was a shepherd who protected his flock with his very life, his first staff as Gandalf the Grey shattering in the process. “... For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed.” (Matt. 26:31) The Fellowship are indeed scattered when Gandalf falls in the Mines of Moria with the Balrog, but he reunites them all when he rises again in victory. Of interest we find that Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich was shown the significance of the pastoral staff from the time of the ancient prophets to the crosiers used by the bishops, and the Pope as Bishop of Rome also carries a distinctive crosier:

“I saw this gift of the priesthood possessed by the

Prophets, and the signification of the form under which it was

exercised was shown me. I saw, for example, the history of

Eliseus giving his staff to Giezi to lay upon the dead child of the

Sunamitess. In this staff lay spiritually Elisues’s mission and

power. It was, as it were, his arm, the prolongation of his arm.

And here I saw the interior signification of a Bishop’s crosier and a

monarch’s sceptre. If used with faith, they unite both Bishop and

monarch in a certain way with Him from whom they hold their

dignity, with God, marking them out at the same time as distinct

from all others.”58

     And the Ring? We discover in the end of the tale that Gandalf had in his possession the whole time one of the Three Rings of Power made by the Elves ~ “Narya the Great, and the stone upon it was red as fire.”59 In the Appendix we discover this rare Ring was given to him by one of the greatest of the Eldar Elves, Círdan the Shipwright, who was granted the gift of perception and discernment more than anyone else on Middle Earth. When Gandalf first arrived from the Undying Lands with the Istari centuries ago, Círdan welcomed him “... knowing whence he came and whither he would return.”...

“Take this Ring, Master,’ he said, ‘for your labours will be

heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken

upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may

rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill.”60

57 Ibid. p. 607.

58 The Life of Jesus Christ, Vol I, p. 19.
59 Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, p. 1068.
60 Ibid. Appendix B, p. 1122.