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Eye of Providence

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File:Eye of Providence Symbol.svg
Eye of Providence from the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, as seen on the U.S. one-dollar bill

The Eye of Providence or All-Seeing Eye is a symbol depicting an eye, often enclosed in a triangle and surrounded by rays of light or a halo, intended to represent Providence, as the eye watches over the workers of mankind.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A well-known example of the Eye of Providence appears on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, which is depicted on the United States one-dollar bill.

Use by governments and confederationsEdit

United StatesEdit

File:SealOfTheUS Prototype.png
Original design for the Great Seal of the United States by Simitiere
File:Dollarnote siegel hq.jpg
The Eye of Providence can be found on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, as seen on the U.S. $1 bill, depicted here.

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 it is thought to be the suggestion of the artistic consultant Pierre Eugene du Simitiere.<ref name="GSUSbooklet">Bureau of Public Affairs. July 2003. "The Great Seal of the United States." Washington: U.S. Department of State Archive; See also "Great Seal." Bureau of Public Affairs. 2002. Both retrieved 6 June 2020.</ref> At the time, it was a conventional symbol for God’s benevolent oversight.<ref name=Wilson/>

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").<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Perhaps due to its use in the design of the Great Seal, the Eye has made its way into other American seals and logos, such as, for example:

U.S. currencyEdit

The Eye of Providence has been used among various forms of currency throughout U.S. history, including:

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  • some Immune Columbia issues<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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LithuaniaEdit

The Eye of Providence appears on several Lithuanian coats of arms, including those of:

Other countriesEdit

File:Coat of Arms of Brasłaŭ, Belarus.svg
Coat of arms of Braslaw, Belarus
File:Bandeira da Confedereção do Equador.svg
The Eye as depicted in the palm featured on the flag of the Confederation of the Equator

The Eye of Providence appears on the coats of arms of Victoria, Canada; Brasłaŭ, Belarus; Neman, Russia; Radekhiv, Ukraine; and Radzymin and Wilamowice, Poland. 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 northeastern provinces of Brazil. In the United Kingdom, the symbol was part of the Guards Division insignia, created in 1915.

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,<ref name=Wilson/> which also borrows iconography from the Ten Commandments. Similarly, the symbol is featured on the front page of the Constitution of Serbia from 1835. In Nigeria, the eye symbol is part of the Nigeria Customs Service logo.

FreemasonryEdit

File:MasonicEyeOfProvidence.gif
An early Masonic version of the Eye, with clouds and a semi-circular glory

Commonly, 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 The Freemason's Monitor.<ref>Morris, S. Brent. 13 January 2010. The Eye in the Pyramid." Short Talk Bulletin. Silver Spring, MD: Masonic Service Association. Retrieved 6 June 2020.</ref><ref>Webb, Thomas Smith. [1791] 1821. The Freemasons Monitor or Illustrations of Masonry. Salem, MA: Cushing and Appleton. p. 66.</ref>

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 semicircular 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Use in religionEdit

ChristianityEdit

File:Pontormo - Cena in Emmaus - Google Art Project.jpg
Pontormo, Cena in Emmaus

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 symbol of the Christian Holy Trinity.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Eye of Providence was later painted above an image of three faces in Pontormo's 1525 Supper at Emmaus.<ref name=Wilson>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Seventeenth-century depictions of the Eye sometimes show it surrounded by clouds or sunbursts.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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 buildings of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

University/college insignia and logos of organisationsEdit

Several universities and college fraternities use the Eye of Providence in their coats of arms, seals, or badges, notably:

GalleryEdit

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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