An artwork in homage to the renowned fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings might gladden the hearts of Russia's many Tolkien devotees, but the Russian Orthodox Church was far from happy about it, according to the RT news service.

A property company was due to erect an installation depicting the terrifying Eye of Sauron on top of a 21-storey building to celebrate the release of the final part of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy this week. The one-metre sphere was to feature a light show projected from behind to create a 3-D effect, enabling a dramatic realisation of the Dark Lord's lidless eye wreathed in flame.

However, following objections from Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, who is head of the synodal department for church and society relations, the plan has been scrapped. Clearly not a Tolkien fan, he told radio station Moscow Speaking: "It is a demonic character. A symbol of triumphant evil rises above the city. It's almost the highest object in the city. Is this good or bad? I'm afraid mostly bad."

He even appeared to warn of possible supernatural retribution, saying: "Let's not be surprised then if something goes wrong in the city."

Chaplin said that such large-scale installations should be negotiated "if not with the population, at least with some cultural authority". It seems his words were heeded: Moscow's mayor said that it would not be erected as its creators, the Svecheniye art group, had not sought permission. "Sadly we are obliged to halt the Eye of Sauron,"  the group said in a press statement reported by RIA Novosti news agency, adding that it apologised for having "elicited such a public reaction".