Who symbolizes Christ in J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"? I have long been a fan of J. R. R. Tolkien, and have enjoyed his works from an early age.  I am aware that he was raised by a Roman Catholic priest, and remained a deeply religious man his whole life.  

I'm wanting to pin down some of the major christian symbols and undertones in his works that are a byproduct of his Catholic world view. I would particularly like to know who or what symbolizes Christ in The Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien always denied that The Lord of the Rings was an allegory, let alone a Christian allegory. While many people have searched for Christian symbolism, the author did not intend that there should be any. Specifically there is no character who corresponds to Christ. There are of course strong themes of good and evil, of destiny and of guiding and creating spirits, sacrifice and nobility.