Eye of Providence

Good day Worthy Knights,

In this part 81, the Eye of Providence                                                                              Wikipedia

The Eye of Providence (or the all-seeing Eye of God) is a symbol that depicts an eye, often enclosed in a triangle and surrounded by rays of light or Glory, meant to represent divine providence, whereby the Eye of God watches over humanity.

United States

In 1782, the Eye of Providence was adopted as part of the symbolism featured on the reverse side of the Great Seal of the United States. It was first proposed as an element of the Great Seal by the first of three design committees in 1776, and is thought to be the suggestion of the artistic consultant, Pierre Eugene du Simitiere, and at the time, was a conventional symbol for God’s benevolent oversight.

Born in Geneva, du Simitiere’s original name was Pierre-Eugène Ducimetière or Pierre-Eugène du Cimetière.  He spelled his name Pierre-Eugène du Simitière, Pierre Eugene du Simitiere or du Symitiere after settling in Philadelphia.

In his original proposal to the committee, Du Simitiere placed the Eye over shields so as to symbolize each of the original thirteen states of the Union. On the version of the seal that would eventually be approved, the Eye is positioned above an unfinished pyramid of thirteen steps (again symbolizing the original States, but also incorporating the nation’s potential for future growth).

Such symbolism is explained through the motto that appears above the Eye, annuit cœptis, meaning “He approves [our] undertakings” (or “has approved”).

 

 

Other countries 

The Eye of Providence appears on the Coat of Arms of  BrasłaŭBelarus, and of WilamowicePoland. The Eye was also part of the flag and coat of arms adopted by the Confederation of the Equator, a short lived 1824 secessionist revolt in the North-eastern provinces of Brazil.

In Estonia, the 50 krooni note shows the Eye as part of a depiction of the pipe organ of the Käina church. Likewise, the (old) 500 Ukrainian hryvnia note also depicts the Eye.

The Eye was included in the original publication of France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which also borrows iconography from the Ten Commandments. Similarly, the symbol is featured on the front page of the Constitution of Serbia from 1835.

 

 

Freemasonry

Today, the Eye of Providence is often associated with Freemasonry, first appearing as part of the standard Freemason iconography in 1797 with the publication of Thomas Smith Webb‘s Freemasons Monitor.

In this use, the Eye, representing the all-seeing Eye of God, serves as a reminder that humanity’s thoughts and deeds are always observed by God, who is referred to in Masonry as the Great Architect of the Universe. Typically, the Masonic Eye of Providence has a semi-circular glory below it, and is sometimes enclosed by a triangle.

Popular among conspiracy theorists is the claim that the Eye of Providence shown atop an unfinished pyramid on the Great Seal of the United States indicates the influence of Freemasonry in the founding of the United States.

However, common Masonic use of the Eye dates to 14 years after the creation of the Great Seal. Furthermore, the only Mason among the members of the various design committees for the Great Seal was Benjamin Franklin, whose ideas for the seal were not adopted.

Likewise, various Masonic organizations have explicitly denied any connection to the creation of the Seal.

Christianity

The association of an eye with the concept of Divine Providence is found in Christianity.

In late Renaissance European iconography, the Eye, surrounded by a triangle, was an explicit image of the Christian Trinity. The Eye of Providence was later painted over an image of three faces in Pontormo‘s 1525 Supper at Emmaus.

Seventeenth-century depictions of the Eye sometimes show it surrounded by clouds or sunbursts. The Eye of God in a triangle is still used in church architecture and Christian art to symbolize the Trinity and God’s omnipresence and divine providence.

The Eye of Providence is notably featured on the following Eastern Orthodox, Mormon, and Catholic buildings, among others: