Eru Iluvatar (The Lord of the Rings)

Eru Ilúvatar is the supreme being in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium as presented in Novel The Silmarillion. He is the creator of all existence. In Tolkien's constructed Elvish language of Quenya, Eru means "One" or "Alone", Ilúvatar means "Father of All", So the full name Eru Ilúvatar translates to "The One, Father of All". It is used both to refer to him individually or together as a single entity.

## History

> “Eru was there, the One who is called Ilúvatar in Arda; and he created, first, the Ainur, the saints, offspring of his thoughts; and they were with him before anything else was created…” –
>
> – John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, The Silmarillion

***The Silmarillion*** **Ainulindalë ( Music of Ainur)** The opening paragraphs of Ainulindalë concern the time before the creation of the World and before the beginning of Time. First to be named is Eru Ilúvatar ('Father of All', also called Eru – 'the One, He that is Alone'). Ilúvatar makes the Ainur (meaning 'Holy Ones', singular form Ainu) by manifesting his concepts as living beings. Upon their creation, when nothing else yet is made, Ilúvatar teaches the Ainur the art of 'Music', which becomes their life and work. The next lines speak to the maturation of the Ainur and the cultivation of Heaven’s Music into the First Theme. Heaven becomes filled with the making of Music. With each Ainu comprehending at first only those secondary ideas and themes most closely related to that primary idea-theme-thought of Ilúvatar’s which pre-figured itself, these creative musical elaborations only gradually, through exposure to each other, become collaborative. The compositions revolve around themes given to each Ainu by Ilúvatar, which themes correspond respectively to those primary themes/concepts embodied in each Ainu – that indeed are each Ainu. Through listening and contemplation, an Ainu becomes aware of other Ainur, other musics, and the cultivation and adornment of other themes. After a time of Music, Ilúvatar proposes a first 'great' design/theme/plan to all the Ainur at once. He charges them with the collective elaboration of this great design/plan/theme. While it is true that the Ainur are Ilúvatar’s thoughts embodied, they each have a life of their own, and are expected to utilize their 'freedom' by cultivating the grand theme. Only in the future, at the 'end of days', will all the created beings of Ilúvatar fully understand not only the divinely provided concepts and themes they each personally embody, but how each relates to all the others and fits (as per Ilúvatar’s intentions) in the entire greater scheme. Melkor is introduced, and the Ainur begin their Chorus. The first Ainu to be named in the histories, Melkor ('Arises in Might') is described as the most powerful of the Ainur and as knowing much of Ilúvatar’s thoughts, including something of each of the primary themes that prefigure the other Ainur. He develops impatience with the schooling process of thematic elaboration: like a precocious child, Melkor begins thinking of certain musical ideas and themes as being 'all his own', and he feels compelled to develop them apace. Melkor even harbors the desire to externally manifest his ideas (private ideas, as he thinks them) and to become a creator of beings himself. When the choirs of the Ainur finally embark on the fully collaborative elaboration of Ilúvatar’s grand plan, Melkor participates with all the others, yet he stands forth and inserts his very different thematic adornments, which disrupts the harmony. One reason his music is so different is that he has spent too much time alone, so his themes appear to have a singular, rather than contextual, origin. The 'battle' in the choir of the Ainur rages back and forth with the Music akin Ilúvatar described as "deep and wide and beautiful, but slow and blended with an immeasurable sorrow, from which its beauty chiefly came". Melkor’s music, on the other hand, is said to have been "loud, and vain, and endlessly repeated [...] and it essayed to drown the other music by the violence of its voice … ". But, despite Melkor’s best efforts to mar and utterly overthrow the Great Music, his discordant music's "most triumphant notes were taken by the other and woven into its own solemn pattern" The Great Music of the Ainur progresses thus: Ilúvatar introduces a First Theme to the choir of the Ainur and Melkor 'spoils' it, converting many of the Maiar to his cause in later years. Next, Ilúvatar imposes a Second Theme, and again Melkor corrupts it. Ilúvatar then proposes a Third Theme, which is also infected by Melkor and devolves into a raging disharmonious conflict. Ilúvatar puts an end to the disharmony with the conducting of "…one chord, deeper than the Abyss, higher than the Firmament, piercing as the light of the eye of Ilúvatar…" After the Great Music stops, Ilúvatar promptly chastises Melkor and then leaves the room. This causes Melkor to be ashamed which in its turn causes him to become angry. Ilúvatar next 'shows' the Ainur a 'Vision'. The Vision is of what the transliteration of their collaborative Great Music into a material reality would be like. They are shown that the Music has a point, has a result and effect beyond its composition and singing: it amounts to no less than a highly detailed template commensurate with the entire history – beginning to end – of a material, 'physical' Universe that could exist inside 'time'. During this sneak preview of the Birth, Life and Death of the Universe, the Ainur behold and contemplate all the aspects of material reality, which aspects are each associated with themes associated with particular Ainu. As the Ainur gaze out on this preview, Melkor sees now in detail how even his most private ideas and themes, even his most disruptive and destructive efforts, in the end serve only to fully elaborate Ilúvatar’s master plan, design, theme and will. Melkor is shown that his private themes (as Melkor thought them) are in fact elements of that plan/design/will and "tributary to [its] glory." Now the Third theme and the Children (Eldar and Edain) are discussed. The Ainur see in the Vision that there are things none of them remember composing, and things they perhaps remember composing but did not at the time fully understand. The Children of Ilúvatar are first mentioned here, the future home of the Children (Arda –'the Realm') is spotted, and some positively fascinating advice is given: don’t read too much into the relative size of the Arda as compared to the entire Universe, or be overly impressed with the immensity of Space compared to, say, the delicacy and complexity of design in a mustard seed. Many of the Ainur, including Melkor, become enamored of Arda, though Melkor still wants to dominate it and the Children. The Ainur, looking out at the preview of all creation, come to believe that Water, of all the substances and energies of material reality, most completely echoes the collaborative elaboration that was the propounding and cultivating of Ilúvatar’s entire creative plan (i.e., the Great Music of the Ainur. ) Ulmo is introduced. While Melkor is the first Ainu properly named, and the first Ainu to whom Ilúvatar directly speaks in the histories, Ulmo ('The Pourer' or 'The Rainer') is the second on both counts: right after the point is made that Water is the fullest echo of the Music of the Ainur, Ulmo is introduced as the Ainu most identified with that element, and the Ainu most educated in the matter of Music. Ulmo is the second Ainu to whom Ilúvatar specifically speaks in the histories when He points out to Ulmo that Water has from Melkor’s meddling benefited beyond Ulmo’s earlier conceptions. Melkor’s attempts to disrupt with the use of fierce heat and severe cold do nothing to ruin Water (as Melkor must have hoped), but rather leave the World with the beauties of snow and frost and clouds and rain; this does no less than push Manwë and Ulmo more closely together. Ulmo, first of all the Ainur (Melkor included), has his words quoted in the histories when he says, "'Truly, Water is become now fairer than my heart imagined, neither had my secret thought conceived the snowflake, nor in all my music was contained the falling of the rain. I will seek Manwë, that he and I may make melodies for ever to thy delight!'" and so Ulmo and Manwë are revealed as the two chief servants of Ilúvatar’s intentions. The Vision ends: Ilúvatar’s sneak preview is snatched away before any of the Ainur can fully see or comprehend the whole work of their music-made-into-substance. Because of this, and because of their nature as beings that must grow to an understanding of themselves in the context of the interplay of all creation, the Ainur know quite a bit of the past, present and future of the Universe and its inhabitants, yet they don’t know everything (the later days, especially, are hidden from them). When the vision is taken away, the Ainur are restless, having fallen in love with the Universe, the Earth and the Children. Even Melkor thinks that he wants to be a benign part of their manifestation, though his tendencies must lead more toward dominance than cultivation. Time begins. In the end (of the Beginning), Ilúvatar takes the entire musical work of the Ainur, including Melkor’s destructive efforts, and makes it manifest, material, real, objective and existing as Eä ('It is', or 'Let it Be'), or what can be called the Universe. Many of the most powerful and influential Ainur enter into Eä, but they enter on condition that the life of the Universe, which has a beginning, middle and end, corresponding to the Great Music of the Ainu, will be binding on them, and will become their lives as well. The Valar (‘The Powers’, the most powerful Ainur that enter into the Universe) enter into and became a part of the World at the very beginning of Time, but Melkor is amongst them. The remaining paragraphs of Ainulindalë summarize the first efforts of the Valar to fulfill the destiny described in the vision of the Universe they have foreseen in Heaven. The Valar enter into Eä only to find it at the very beginning of its history – unformed and embryonic. The history of the Universe has been only 'forsung'. The Valar must labor to unfold that history and to build its constituent parts from scratch. The four Valar who are most involved in the crafting of Arda are Manwë, Ulmo, Aulë and Melkor. Melkor lays claim to Arda as his own, and makes the initial going very rough indeed. Manwë collects those Valar and Maiar (lesser Ainur who entered into Eä with the Valar) friendly to him and he sets up on Arda a resistance to Melkor. At the moment of this act, a reminder is provided of the fact that Manwë was the chief instrument of Ilúvatar in the Second Theme of the Great Music. Melkor withdraws from Arda and Manwë’s resistance, but later formally (and quite impressively) reenters and makes open war on Manwë's throne, but Manwë’s rule is established nonetheless: it sees Arda finished and made habitable and ready for Elves and Men. The First War inside Time: The Valar assume physical forms as others wear clothes, though the Valar do have temperaments commensurate with the genders these forms reflect. Melkor re-enters Arda in a form of terrible majesty, and the war for Arda begins in earnest. The history of the first battles are little recorded, but the reports point to Melkor trying to undo everything the Valar do, which things the Valar do mostly to prepare Arda for the Children. Melkor's actions can change, but not destroy or wholly spoil, the original (as they were understood) plans and intentions of the Valar. Despite Melkor, Arda is made ready. After the prophesied war of all wars, the Dagor Dagorath, the final war that will decide the fate of all beings on Arda, it is said that the Ainur will sing the second song of Eru Ilúvatar, not knowing what will be created. Yet greater it will be, more races borne of the melodies, reforming life. It is said the the dwarves will assist Mahal (Aulë) in recreating the materials of Arda, to rekindle the flames that spark industry. To give birth to a new age.

## Eruist Faith

Eruist Faith (Q."Eruaistale") was the religion of Eru Illuvatar as it was taught to Elves by the Valar and to men by the Elves. Eruist religions venerated Eru according to his rightful dignity as Lord and creator of all things, with the Valar acknowledged as Angelic powers and removed guardians of the World. This indeed was the truth and reality of the world, and differed from most of the lesser religions of Men, which enshrined the Valar themselves, or lesser and even sometimes nonexistent deities, as the creators of all things.

The Elvish Eruist Religion was in its most ancient form a very simple, tribal religion. Stories and histories were passed down orally, and in these days there was no official clergy or priesthood.Sometimes the High-King appeared as an acting High-Priest of Eru on the seasonal rites. The Lesser Elves, did not adhere to any advanced and organized methods of worship, for they had not learned them of the Valar; while the Sindar, and to a lesser extent the Nandor, had incorpotated the Valar into their cosmology, the Avari chiefly maintained the traditional practices of the Elves, holding no priesthood, and their faith was of a personal and unpretentious sort, emphasizing personal faith and meditation over organized social ceremony and prayer.Instead of organized Priesthoods some of the Eldar, and the Dúnedain after them, founded convents of pious dedicants known for males as "Anustari" (Q."Monks" or lit."Fellows"; S."Gomodronath") or females as "Qindestini" (Q."Nuns" or lit."Companions"; S."Gomodrilath"), who sometimes even lived in specialized communities like monasteries (Q."Anustar"), the later descendants of the Dúnedain also held fanes (S."Iaunath"), temples (Q. "Cordar") or shrines (Q."Alkarini"; S."Alchorath"), in which they revered Eru or rather the Flame Imperishable in form of the "Sā" or temple-fire.

The Númenórians alone of all Men adhered to the High-Elvish traditions, though partially mixed with their indigenous beliefs as the Edain. They believed in the truth of Eru and prayed to Him as Lord, but they knew only one central sanctuary on Meneltarma, and their High-King alone of all of their people acted as functional priest; High-Priest, to be exact. Their Elendili descendants continued these traditions, and introduced them to the Middle-Men of the Westlands, who incorporated them into their own legend, though with little adherence to tradition. High sanctuaries (Q."Airitar") of Gondor were founded, in such forms as the White Tree and the Hallows of Fen Hollen in Minas Tirith, the Ehtelë Ulmova and the High Hallow of Mount Mindolluin, and others of Arnor lay along the Lake Nenuial, Formenaire upon Fornost, in the Barrow Downs and in the Tower Hills.

## Secret Fire

according author Tolkien stated that the "Flame Imperishable" or "Secret Fire" represents the Holy Spirit in Christian theology. It is the creative activity of Eru/God.In Tolkien's work The Silmarillion, the wizard Gandalf refers to himself as "a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor" when confronting the Balrog. Christopher Tolkien, Tolkien's son who helped publish his works, interpreted the Secret Fire represents the divine creative power and spirit of Eru Ilúvatar that is inherent in the very fabric of the world he created, Arda. It is the mystical source of all life and being. Gandalf and the other Maiar like him draw their power from their connection to this Secret Fire.

## John Ronald Reuel Tolkien about Eru Iluvatar

Tolkien knew that Eru was not a "Fictional deity" but was only a way to represent God, with a name from an fictional language, even if in a mythological or fictional context. In a 1954 draft of a letter to Peter Hastings, director of the Newman Bookshop (a Catholic bookstore in Oxford), Tolkien defended the unorthodox aspects within his mythology, such as an exploration of the infinite "potential variety" of God. Hastings wrote:

>
> Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony together a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices, if he will. But I will sit and hearken, and be glad that through you great beauty has been wakened into song.
>
>
>
> John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Tolkien's response contains an explanation of his view of the relationship between Creation (divine) and sub-creation (human):

> "We differ entirely about the nature of the relation of sub-creation to Creation. I should have said that liberation 'from the channels the creator is known to have used already' is the fundamental function of 'sub-creation', a tribute to the infinity of His potential variety [...] I am not a metaphysician; but I should have thought it a curious metaphysic — there is not one but many, indeed potentially innumerable ones — that declared the channels known (in such a finite corner as we have any inkling of) to have been used, are the only possible ones, or efficacious, or possibly acceptable to and by Him!
>
> John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, Letter 153

> As for Tom Bombadil, I really do think you are being too serious, besides missing the point. [...] You rather remind me of a Protestant relation who to me objected to the (modern) Catholic habit of calling priests Father, because the name father belonged only to the First Person.
>
> John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, Letter 153

## Ability

### Powers

* Omnipotence
* Omniscience
* Omnipresence

## Trivia

* *Eru Iluvatar is the singular omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent creator in Tolkien's legendarium. He is the monotheistic God-figure.*
* *His name Ilúvatar translates to "Father of All" in Quenya Elvish language.*
* *Eru created the angelic Ainur spirits before anything else in the Timeless Halls outside of creation.*
* *He taught the Ainur the art of music, and they participated in the Great Music that became the vision for creating Arda/Middle-Earth.*
* *Some details of Eru's activities and direct interventions within Arda/Eä are left mysterious or unknown even to powerful beings like the Valar.*
* *The Númenóreans were among the few groups said to directly worship and praise Eru Iluvatar on the holy hill of Meneltarma.*
* *Tolkien viewed Eru not as a fictional deity but as a name for the actual monotheistic God within the fictional legendarium context.*
* *Eru's original Adûnaic name was Êru before it became a Quenya word in 1951.*
* *Water is said to have most fully echoed the Great Music of creation out of all substances in Arda.*

## References

p. 329; root er means "one" or "one" (p. 358) The Silmarillion, p. 336; from iluwe ("all, whole", p. 360) and atar ("father", p. 356)

## External Links

* Eru Iluvatar on The Lord of the Rings Wiki
* Eru Iluvatar on Tolkien Gateway
* Eru Iluvatar on Tolkienology
* Eru Iluvatar on Heroes Wiki

## Gallery

"Eru Iluvatar" by Jerrel Salvatierra on Tolkien GatewayA visual image illustrate Ilúvatar's magnificence.Ainulindale by Rylyn84 on DevianArtEru during the Great Music, art by Ted Nasmith

## Videos about Eru Iluvatar

Eru Ilúvatar, The One - Epic Character HistoryWho is Eru Iluvatar? - Legends of Middle Earth