Church Chimes

A special moment of the day when the bell ringing of a local temple is heard in the city. It is said that at this time the Angels descend to Earth, the atmosphere in space becomes so blessed.

But the bell ring also obeys its own rules (charter) and can be different depending on the time of day, day of the week, holiday. More details about this are presented in our article.

Value for the Russian people

Even before Christmas, believers were familiar with the ringing of bells. Especially on the territory of Russian lands. But then religions were pagan, because of which the bells were not accepted by the first Christians for some time.

Even the apostle Paul doesn’t very positively mention in the Scripture “copper ringing,” that is, a bell ringing as an empty sound.

But at the dawn of the Christian religion, Orthodoxy, this magnificent ringing instrument becomes the main symbol of the spiritual life of the Russian people.

Bells were poured only by real masters who knew this art perfectly.

And still, when a Russian believer suddenly hears the ringing of church bells, then the hand involuntarily reaches out to perform the sign of the Cross. Perhaps this is already "in the blood" of the people.

In general, the bell ringing is very in tune with the soul and high spirit of the inhabitants of Russia. The same majestic, clean, bright ...

Description

And the bell ringing is an important part of the service in the Orthodox Church. And it is regulated by the Typicon - the church-liturgical charter.

This document is approved by the synodal liturgical commission, and also approved by the Patriarch of Moscow Alexy II in August 2002.

According to the charter, church ringing is divided into 3 main types:

1. Evangelism (when they make single blows to a large bell).
2. Ringing (when several bells ring at a time).
3. Chime (consecutive bells - from the largest to the smallest).

There is also: busting (consecutive bells — from large to small, including “full”), “ringing in two” (two bells - the guard and the one that follows from him, and then both at the same time) and a holy bell (consecutive bells: from the largest to the smallest, 7 times each).

For example, according to the charter on bell ringing for Easter, both the gospel and the chime sound. The same applies to other holidays and weekdays.

Evangelism

These are beats that sound one after another. But there are pauses between them: after the first and second times (until the sound completely disappears), and the following - in the rhythm of musical dimension ¾.

Depending on the time of day, the type of worship and the day, the start time, frequency and, in fact, the duration of the gospel are determined (for example, at the All-Night Vigil - the duration of the reading of the Psalms is 50 or 118 - 12 times, which is approximately 15 minutes).

The gospel is also divided into:

• Sunday (the weight of the bell is 3.25 tons);
• polyelein;
• everyday (1.64 t);
• festive (6 t);
• Lenten.

Ringing

This is the simultaneous ringing of all bells - for three approaches. The method of ringing mainly depends on the skill of the ringer, since there are no specific provisions on it in the charter.

As a rule, the chime begins the all-night vigil (after the end of the gospel) and again sounds before the break. Also, in the morning service: before reading the Gospel, before the Liturgy, at the time of the removal of the Shroud and the Holy Cross, during the procession.

With a chime, the bells are struck twice (two-ring), three times, six and nine times.

Thus, if the gospel announces the beginning of the service, then the chimes indicate important events (carries the sound of spiritual joy!).

It can also be carried out in different bells: Sunday, weekday and so on.

Chime

It is characterized by an emphasis on each bell 3 times - from the largest to the smallest.

There is a chime during the utterance of the Great Glory to the Lord, after which the Cross is pronounced (on the feast day of the Exaltation), also on Holy Cross week, before the procession, the blessing of water and the first of August. On Good Friday, before the Shroud is removed, a chime sounds.

This kind of bell ringing prepares believers for the perception of especially important events.

All ringing is necessarily made depending on the sign of worship and only with the blessing of the abbot.

Holidays

According to the charter of bell ringing, distinguish:

1. Ringing everyday.
2. Sunday
3. Polyelein.
4. Great Lent.
5. On temple, great and twelve feasts.
6. Non-ordinary preparatory weeks and Lent.
7. Non-ordinary annual circle.
8. For Easter and the Great Week.
9. At the meeting and departure of the bishop.
10. Wedding
11. Baptismal.
12. At the funeral service.

Let's consider some of them in more detail.

Ringing for Easter and Passion Week

On the eve of the bright Christian holiday, from Clean Thursday to Saturday, there is completely no bell ringing. And it’s not just that.

According to church belief, it is believed that this is a time of opposition of the forces of light and darkness. After that, the first win and the Easter holiday begins.

The charter of the bell ringing on this day is special: the gospel, the chime, and the chime sound. In the bell tower itself, light is lit and a sacred musical action begins, which the bell ringer performs, informing the world, thus, of the victory of good and light.

The procedure for making bell ringing for Easter is described below.

Liturgy:

• Midnight office, in which a faint bell of a festive bell is heard;
• Religious procession to the sounds of chime;
• Easter beginning - entering the temple at a chime (with a festive bell);
• The Eucharistic canon, in which the gospel (12 slow beats) sounds in the festive bell;
• Kissing the Cross - chime with Sunday bell.

Easter Vespers:

• the gospel announcing the beginning of the Vespers (40 blows in the festive bell);
• peal with a festive bell;
• after 1 hour, a peal sounds again, announcing the end.

Liturgy:

• before the beginning you can hear the sounds of the gospel (40 beats), and then a chime;
• The Eucharistic canon in the gospel (12 slow strokes);
• Religious procession with a chime (when stopped, sounds cease);
• kissing the cross - chime with sunday bell.

There is such a tradition: on Easter week, all comers can climb the bell tower and try to ring the bells. This is especially true for children.

As for the charter on bell ringing for Holy Week, especially important are days such as Holy Thursday and Easter itself (about which information is given above).

At the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This solemn day also has its own sequence of bell ringing. On Assumption, the charter provides for the following:

• before the beginning of the evening service, the gospel of the festive bell sounds (40 times, moreover, the first three are long);
• at the moment of the removal of the Shroud, a chime sounds;
• with the position of the Shroud in the temple - a chime;
• during the burial of the Shroud, a procession is held during a chime;
• upon delivery of the Shroud - ringing;
• The liturgy is performed at the sound of the bells of the twelfth feast.

To Radonitsa

Easter week ends with a memorial day. It is also called Radonitsa. The charter of the bell ringing on the parent's day also has its own sequence. Sounds a mournful chime and a chime.

In Russia, according to ancient beliefs, radonitsas and trisens are deities who protected the souls of the deceased. In Christianity, everything is one, that is, there is no separation between the living and the dead - for God, everyone is alive.

The radonitsa comes from a long-standing prescription, according to which the commemoration of those who left the earthly plan for Great Lent (on the occasion of the traditional 3, 9 and 40 days), not completed in their hour (due to the Lenten period), is postponed to the nearest workday, in which the Liturgy is celebrated. This is St. Thomas’s day - Tuesday.

In general, commemoration in Radonitsa can be performed right up to 9 days after Easter. And the religious celebrations in the temples still last until the Ascension of the Lord (that is, another 32 days).

Ringing at the Liturgy

For evening and morning services, according to the charter of bell ringing at the Liturgy, there is the following sequence of its implementation:

• 10 minutes before Vespers, there is a gospel (moreover, 40 beats, the first three of which are slow) and a peal (everyday bell in both cases);
• upon completion - ringing;
• 10 minutes before the Liturgy, the gospel (40 strokes) and peal of chimes also sound;
• under the Eucharistic canon - evangelism (12 beats at a slow pace);
• at the end of the Liturgy (when kissing the Cross) - a chime.

On Christmas

Typically, bells ring for the great, twelve, and temple holidays. The gospel and ringing are heard.

According to the charter of the bell ringing for Christmas, blows are made to the holiday bell.

Vespers:

• 10 minutes before the beginning of Vespers - the gospel (40 strokes) followed by a chime;
• before the beginning of the matins, a chime sounds;
• according to the gospel - ringing;
• upon completion - ringing.

Liturgy:

• before the beginning in 10 minutes the gospel sounds (40 strokes), and after it - a chime;
• under the Eucharistic canon - the gospel (12 strokes);
• upon completion (at the sacred moment of kissing the Cross) - a chime.

Good Thursday

On Pure or Maundy Thursday, ringing bells is carried out in the following order:

• before the matins - the gospel (40 strokes);
• Before beginning the reading of the Gospel - blows to the bell according to the number of reads (the first reading - 1 hit, the second reading - 2 hits), a total of 12 Gospels. Then a short peal sounds.

Then until Easter there is silence. But, according to the charter on bell ringing on Maundy Thursday, the Sunday bell applies.

In Lent

When the weeks begin before Easter, special services are performed in the temples, which are also accompanied by the ringing of bells.

According to the Charter on Great Lent, the following are used: guard bell, ringing "for two", evangelism, pealing.

For morning worship (Monday to Friday):

• before the 3rd hour - three blows at the guard bell;
• before the 6th — six;
• before the 9th - nine;
• before the beginning of Vespers (Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts) - "in two."

In the evening service in 5 minutes the gospel to the watch bell sounds (40 times).

Liturgy of John Chrysostom:

• before the beginning - the gospel in the everyday bell (40 times), after which the ringing is carried out;
• under the Eucharistic canon, the daily bell sounds (12 leisurely beats);
• when kissing the Holy Cross they sound a chime with a Sunday bell.

Vespers:

• before the beginning of Vespers - the gospel (40 strokes) followed by a chime on a Sunday bell;
• before the morning bell service (on Sunday bell);
• a chime sounds to the Gospel (at the moment of Antiphons before reading the Gospel);
• upon completion - ringing on the Sunday bell.

Liturgy of St. Basil the Great:

• before the beginning - the evangelism of the Sunday bell (40 times), ringing;
• under the Eucharistic canon - evangelism (12 calm strokes lasting 25 seconds);
• when kissing the Holy Cross - ringing on Sunday bell.
  

Interesting information

There are modern bells, but there are those that are not one hundred years old. These are those that have historical significance:

• especially valuable (made before the XVII century);
• very valuable (XVII-XVIII centuries);
• valuable (XIX-XX centuries);
• low value (after 1930).

The historical value is also influenced by such factors as: integrity of the form, material, weight, the very form of the product, sound quality, inscriptions, name of the master.

Summary

In general, the charter of bell ringing (during the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Easter, Christmas and other holidays, everyday services) is necessary for use in churches and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church.

And it is designed to:

• to preserve the traditions of the Orthodox ringing, which are an important part of the life of Russian Orthodoxy (as the spiritual and cultural heritage of the country);
• for the proper use of church ringing;
• to maintain the desire of young ringers in the development of this specialization (there are special schools in the country where they learn this skill).

The charter sets out briefly. It contains only the most essential information regarding bell ringing. And in no case does it impose restrictions on the traditions of individual churches and monasteries, the rights of their clergy, the manifestation of creativity and the local practice of ringer, if this does not contradict its provisions and the Orthodox religion as a whole.