Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-11-17
WOttrster 4ailp SPY


ltor t1atters US into an answer to several que
RES about the history of church bells. With
reluctance we yield to the request, feeling as
we do that there are other men in the country
(such as the Rev. President of Mount ST.
Mary's seminary of the west) far better read
IN catholic history, who would enlighten the
enquiring reader more satisfactorily. But,
acting on the old saw that quando defciunt
equt ct aSini cUTTunt, we take up our Miscel-
la, and will endeavor to fish out an answer.
LIST. Query.-Why are not sanctuary bells
blessed? Usage is contrary to their benedic-
ton; this we know, but is there any lGtC for
or against their blessing?
A. After as careful a search as twas in our
power to institute, we cannot find any other
reason why a particular liturgy is not given
tor the blessing of sanctuary bells, but be-
cause there are too many of them, especially in
large churches and basilicas, and therefore are
liable to be broken, lost, and cast away, and
thereby proclamation would take place. For
the same reason we suppose cruets, candle
sticks, flowers, vases, boOk-stands, &C., are
not blessed. And still we know that there are
particular formulas given by the ritual for
blessing everything connected with the holy
sacrifice of mass, such as vestments candles,
purifcatiors, altar-cloths, &c. But the wear
ing out of these articles can be easily perceiv-
ed and thus discarded and destroyed by fire.
However, we can find no lar against the
blessing of sanctuary bells, nor do we think
there is any. On the contrary, we think they
can be lawfully blessed. In fact decision
was given by the Sacred Congregation of
Rites, Sept, II, 1922, which upholds our OPP
inion. The question was put,-''Whether
bells of public clocks might be blessed with
the same formula prescribed in the Roman
Pontiical for the blessing Of church bells p
1t was answered -" NegattUe: unless in the
case, when the same bell not only strikes the
hour, but gives also warning that a sacred
function is about. taking place" V. Sacre
Rituum Congregations Decreta, Roma, Prop.
Fid. 1852, p. 1872 no. 5S2. Nor is this to be
taken as strictly limited to clocks in church
towers For, the query as well as the answer
are general. Hence, the bells of such large
clocks as are placed inside of some churches
or vestries can lawfully be blessed. And if
80, why cannot the sanctuary bell be blessed?
The only reason against it may be found in the
fact that the clock bell is not so apt to be lost,
broken, or thrown among rubbish as the little
sanctuary bell, or T5atina6uIuDa.
2d-Were church bells first introduced in
to the sanctuary or the steeples Of Rome?
A.-Leave out the words ''of Rome" and
substitute "of christendom." With this pre-
mise, we say, with tolerably good knowledge
of the subject, that it is the general opinion of
Rubrical writer's that bells have been used
both in the sanctuary and outside the church
from the moment that peace was granted to
christianity, by Constantine the great, under
Pope st. Sylvester, who died A. d. 335.
Nevertheless we find there are no older re-
cords than the following
1.-St. Paulinus, bishop of Nola, in Cam
pania, kingdom of Naples, Italy, is mentioned
rs the first, who by the toll of a large bell out
side the church summoned the christian to at
tend sacred mysteries. he died A. ID. 43l.
Were we allowed to take the silence Of histo-
ry for proof, we may be lead 10 believe that
for two or three hundred years the CampaRG
Nolana tolled almost solitary and alone over
all chrstendom. We say almost, because we
read in the life of St. Columbanus CA. D.
$50 that bells were used in his days.
b.-Pope Sabinian CA. d. 604-6) seems,
according to Pauvino, Maori Onuphring, to
have been the first who formally introduced
the use of bells in Rome--to summon clergy
and laity to service at canonical hours. But
cardinal Bona, no mean authority indeed, ad-
mits that pope Sabinian sanctioned the use OF
outside bells, but refuses to believe that he
was the first to introduce them in Rome. We
learn also from history that pope Zacharlas,
A. d. TAI, granted to the monks OF Monte
Casino the privilege of using bells; and An
astasius. in the life of st. Leo ". CA. ID.
$40 says that he built a belfry, (campdn1te)
near or attached to the church of st. Andrew,
in Rome. and therein placed bell with
clapper of gold.
Thus far as regards the introduction of
bells into the steeples; although we do not
believe that steeplea, CGmpGnitiG, or TuTYeS
In.r. hoo
to exist before the middle ages, the ages of
faith.
CAS- flourish of Biblical erudition, we
refer our readers to the book of Exodus
xv111-3l, SO, 81, and 35, where he will
find that bells were not only used by the
Jews in the sanctuary, but they were at
tached to the very person of the Pontiff Aar-
on. But that was not a christian sanctuary.
Hence,
d.-It seems that bells were not used in
the sanctuary before Guido, Cardinal Arch
bishop of Cologne who, in 1893 ordered that
the bells should be rung at the elevation,
during mass Gregory TX, in 1853, approved
of the custom. This at least is all zee know
aboutit
e-By way of annexation, we here add
that there were six kinds of bells, i. e., squat
la. rung in the refectory of the clergy; Gym
5alum, (gong?) IN the cloister; NoLA, in the
choir (and perhaps afterwards in the sanctua-
ry); aoIula or dupla, in the clock; canpana,
in the steeple; signum, in the tower.
NOTE. Some architectural antiquary, by
evoking the shadow Cf not the shade) of the
Oldest church steeples, or camsanile, may
throw more light on the subject.
3d.-Is the ceremonial benedictiOn Of
church bell of Roman origin?
Alt seems that every bishop (because,
from time immemorial only bishops have
blessed bells) had rite of his own, until the
VII century, when the pope issued decree
by which he ordered that in the benedictlon
of bells all churches should follow one for
mula Hence the ceremonial benediction can
he called truly of Roman origin. twill not be
amiss to notice here that Altuinas, disciple of
Rede and master of Charlemagne, dates the
blessing of bells as anterior to the year l1O.
4th.2Whence arose the custom of ringing
bell before the priest bearing holy vlatl-
cum?
A.-Guido, archbishop Of Cologne ". sn-
pya. d. J, was first to introduce this custom, A.
d. 1924, or whereabouts. ,-c
5th.-What authority is there for the use OF
trumpet instead of a church bell aIdWnere
did that authority first show itself IN prac-
tee? L..
A.-First. The church used trumpets for
want of something better. Second. The
Jews used trumpets long before the chrlsnah
era. - I'll.
Much more might be written about bells
But we have endeavored to keep within the nm
its of the questions put by our Fhladelpma
contemporary. On the other hand, the origin,
antouitv. &C.. &C., &c., of bells, have been