Board Thread:General Mod Discussion/@comment-93.82.58.211-20170422153051/@comment-26556622-20170422162558

Interesting, first thing first is that there's multiple peoples praying to this god. Different elven clans, and humans. I guess in a similar way to Christianity, Islam and JudaÏsm all pray to the same god but in different ways.

The elves didn't really have holy books I think, nor temples. They just sang hymns together in reverance to the Valar and Illúvatar. The language they pray in depends on the clans... Quenyan, Telerin, Noldorin, Sindarin, Nandorin, you name it. Tolkien never really stated any religious customs for any elves, nor theocratic law. Although we know elves were quite opposed to adultery and stuff.

They have multiple holidays that's for sure, Mereth-en-Gilith was one that the movies made up, the feast of starlight, a holiday in reverence to Elbereth that was held by the Nandor and Sindar. We also know that the Gondolindrim held Andonavestan, I presume a Noldorin tradition that the other High-elves also practice. It's a celebration of the first day of summer. It includes not talking for an entire night, starting at midnight, and then bursting into celebration and song at the first daybreak of summer. The entire city was filled with lanterns at the time.

We also know the Númenoreans had a holy site... which was Meneltarma, and for Gondor MIndolluin was holy, and the houses of the dead. The númenoreans don't seem to sing, not like the elves sang their prayers. They seem to have held ceremonies or something. And they didn't seem to revere the Valar as much as the elves did. Perhaps because they haven't witnessed them and as such do not believe too much in their existance.