Quote:
Originally Posted by Aganzir
I have always imagined it in the Catholic sense - Ilúvatar (  ) was the main god whereas the Ainur were more like angels or saints. I'm not Catholic either, but to my understanding they pray not only to God but saints as well? Just like mariners called upon Uinen on stormy seas. |
Yes, I imagined it in that way too. I am not Catholic either (is that a compulsory sentence on this thread or what?), but as far as I know it's so that the saints represent the "victorious church", the ones who already have finished their mortal life, and fulfilled it in the best possible way, and whose intercessions from "back there" can help those who are still here. And most of the saints were given something to patronise, usually the thing they were connected to in their life. So, it's not exactly the thing about Valar, but it's similar in the basic way that you have someone who is close to the particular subject and so you can turn for him to help when it comes to that subject. From the in-ME-point of view, the Valar were actually even the ones who took the main part in making certain things, for example: Ulmo - water. This way, you could turn on Ulmo if you had any problems and requests concerning water, because he is the one who has the most insight into it, as he was the one making it. And maybe actually, from the in-ME-point of view, the Valar are the ones to ask for such things (at least these "material" things) rather than Eru himself. You would worship Eru as the supreme god and creator, but if you wish to pray for rain (or thank for rain) for your Haradian colony, you turn for example to Manwë and not to Eru. And when you have the rain and wish your plants to grow, you turn for example to Yavanna in turn. Always whoever is the one for the resort. I would actually compare the Valar to the government, to the "executive". Ministry of water, ministry of plants, and such. And each is responsible for his sector, with Eru above them all (with Manwë and Varda as the more prominent among the ministers).