#fackfackfackfack

In most Orthodox faiths, they don’t use the zucchetto! Syrian Orthodox clergy does, but theirs are always black with red embroidery; Byzantine Orthodox/Greek Orthodox bishops just wear a mitre. Orthodox clergy also have very different outer vestments, largely to distinguish them from Roman Catholics! While there’s lots of varieties of Orthodox faiths, most of them wear similar vestments. 

These bishops are all Orthodox, but from different traditions. Instead of a zucchetto, their basic head covering is a hat called a kalimavkion, worn with a veil called an epanokailimavkion. From left to right, these fellows are Antiochian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox (that fellow in the middle- he’s actually a Romanian Orthodox archbishop), Orthodox Church in America, Albanian Orthodox, and the last bishop is from the ROCOR- the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. 

Yes. That’s a distinction.

And these bearded fellows are Russian Orthodox.

I assume you mean for the Tolkien fandom!

9.) Most disliked character(s)? Why?

This is a hard one to pin down as almost all of Tolkien’ characters are not whole perfect good or evil, and I find even Lobelia Sackville-Baggins to be an enjoyable spitfire of a character (if truly insufferable and obnoxious). I do however have a lot of contempt for Mandos/Namo for his cursing an entire people (and a dog) and by extension Manwe for sitting back and condoning it.

10.)Most disliked arc? Why?

QUESTION that I’ve been dwelling on for a while now.

I wrote this piece a ways back about Melkor’s fate and how him being with Mairon was part of the great plan and... I’m so torn about whether that’s actually true or not. 

Like, ok, here, let me explain. Which has more literary symbolism/symmetry? Which fits better for their story? On the one hand, you have Mairon and Melkor as soul mates, ordained by the One, as part of the great design for Ea. Everything they’ve done, it was supposed to happen, it led them and the world further towards Eru’s ultimate goals, mysterious they may be. In this sense, free will never really existed, Melkor never could actually rebel. On the other hand, you have this: Mairon and Melkor were never written in the stars. They chose their fate. No one, not even Eru, anticipated their love, and they shaped the world to its destiny and changed history because of it. In this sense, Melkor did rebel. He rebelled not through war or destruction, but through his choice to love. 

This occurred to me and I feel it’s worth posting since I’ve never seen any talk on this?

The One Ring doesn’t make you invisible. 

Why would it? Seriously, what purpose on Eru’s green earth does that serve? Sauron forging his ring of power in the heart of a volcano, thinking to himself, ah yes, invisibility would be a good trick to build into this thing! No. Cause you know what? Sauron’s ring does not make him invisible. And he certainly did not intend for anyone else to ever have it. So what’s it really doing?

Two words: Dimensional shift. 

I believe that when mortals put on the ring, they experience a dimensional shift in which they are pulled (stretched, transported) into a higher dimension, the plane on which the true spirit forms of the Ainur (and wraiths) exist. This would effectively render them invisible to those on lower dimensions, but the wearer would be able to view them with altered enhanced perception. Such as the effects we witness as described by those who have worn the ring. Especially well portrayed in the films is the ability to see the souls of others, particularly the ringwraiths (the battle on Weathertop is a good example, as well as even in Battle of the Five Armies when Bilbo is in Dale), black and white shadowy souls clear as day but invisible to the naked eye, as they exist on a different dimensional plane. It’s quite possible to me that the ëalar of the Ainur are in a higher dimension than that of mortal fëar, but that’s beside the point. They’re at least a couple dimensions removed from our reality, and thus invisible until one puts on the ring. 

Now, why would the ring have this power? I think, if I recall correctly, that Tolkien at one point did state that it was not intentional, that it was a byproduct of its making. Again, it does not turn Sauron invisible - it wouldn’t, he already exists on that plane. Mortals are bound to their bodies and so would not be able to perceive that higher dimension, but Ainur are not. I think most plausibly, this effect exists because Sauron infused a piece of his own soul into the one ring. The consequences of this are not well understood (it’s not like it’s a common practice) and we know in other ways, it is so strong in its desire to hearken back to its master, it can even influence the wills - a product of the souls - of those around it. I would not be surprised in the slightest if having a piece of Ainur ëala in an all-powerful object would result in the ability to bend reality to attempt to match the wearer to the properties of the owner. It would bring the wearer closer to Sauron, and allow him to perceive them, thus furthering its purpose to return to the whole from which it is a part. 

Is this a fucking challenge.