Awhile ago, it was announced a massive monument of the “Eye of Sauron” was to be placed where everyone in Moscow could see it glowing red all evening long. This idea came about as a way to promote the new “Lord of The Rings” prequel, “The Hobbit”.
The Eye of Sauron is considered demonic to the Russian Orthodox Church and the fact that it was to be erected on top of a 21 story skyscraper high above the city had many, many people calling it a sign of the end times and distasteful to boot.
In an article titled “‘Eye of Sauron’ plan for Moscow skyscraper scrapped after Russian Orthodox Church hits out at ‘demonic symbol'” [1], ABC Australian News reports:
BYPASS THE CENSORS
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A plan to install an ‘Eye of Sauron’-style light on top of a Moscow skyscraper has been scrapped after protests from the Russian Orthodox Church.
Designers had planned to raise the giant glowing eye on the 21st floor of a skyscraper to celebrate the local release of the final part of Peter Jackson’s movie adaptation of The Hobbit.
In JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit, and also in the subsequent Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Eye of Sauron is a giant flaming eye controlled by the “dark lord” Sauron which allows him to watch anyone who puts on a fateful, power-giving ring.
But the Russian Orthodox Church’s head of public affairs, Vsevolod Chaplin, objected to what he called a “demonic symbol” in an interview with Govorit Moskva radio station.
“Such a symbol of the triumph of evil is rising up over the city, becoming practically the highest object in the city. Is that good or bad? I’m afraid it’s more likely bad,” Mr Chaplin said.
“Just don’t be surprised later if something goes wrong with the city.”
City authorities then also reacted, saying that the Eye of Sauron could require planning permission.
“Unfortunately we are forced to stop the Eye of Sauron project,” the group of designers called Svecheniye, or Radiance, wrote on Facebook, saying they did not expect “such a public reaction”.
“The project doesn’t have a religious or political subtext. And not wanting any kind of negativity, we are stopping our preparations for the project,” the post said, alongside a picture of Ian McKellen playing wise wizard Gandalf in Jackson’s films.
The installation was planned as a 10-metre sphere with a light show projecting from behind to create a 3D effect.
The property company that owns the tower had backed the stunt, which the designers said was a tribute to Jackson’s latest film, not part of its promotional campaign.
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