EF Blessing of Sanctus Bells
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    Does anyone have the books/sheets for this? I have looked through an 1853 Rituale but didn't find them. Many places say that there used to be an elaborate blessing of bells but do not refer to where.
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    Did bells get consecrated?

    Anyway the Pius XI Rituale has a Blessing of Bells...

    http://laudatedominum.net/files/romy.pdf

    see page 386.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    Did bells get consecrated?

    Anyway the Pius XI Rituale has a Blessing of Bells...

    http://laudatedominum.net/files/romy.pdf

    see page 386.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,371
    Bells were and presumably still are 'baptised' see.
  • CatherineS
    Posts: 690
    All bells? The one that signals the start of Mass, too?
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 392
    It’s in the Roman Ritual (as if the Blessing of the Organ, if one ever needs to make a case for the preference of the organ over the piano.) The one for consecrating/baptizing bells for a church is in the Roman Pontifical.
  • CarsonHaupt
    Posts: 46
    I've only heard of consecrating/baptizing bells in the context of tower bells- although I suppose it's possible the same rite could be used for altar bells.
    Thanked by 1madorganist
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,943
    In that Pius XI Rituale at page 390, there is a more abbreviated blessing of bells. The indicates this is for bells not in service ("non inserviat") of a church or oratory, but I wonder if that has an intended gloss to distinguish bells that are not part of the church fabric itself.
  • PLTT
    Posts: 149
    There is no blessing for sanctus bells in the pre-conciliar Rituale: it would seem the best one to use if desired to bless the bell would be the 'Benedictio ad omnia'. The text of all the prayers for blessing bells make reference to their function of calling the faithful to church, warning against enemies, etc. indicating that the large tower bells are what is being blessed. Further, some of the ritual actions for blessing/consecration would seem out of place for a tiny bell.

    @Liam - going by the text of the prayer, I think that blessing is probably for public bells (such as clock towers).

    Thanked by 1Liam
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,371
    https://adoremus.org/2005/03/sanctus-bells/
    Bells (including Sanctus bells) have traditionally been blessed before being placed into service in the Church. The blessing of bells has even been been called "baptism of bells", due to the extremely solemn process of blessing bells in the past, which resembled a baptism.
    Adoremus Mar 15, 2005
    Sanctus Bells By Matthew D. Herrera
    But no reference to justify the statement. On the other hand :-
    In fact, as noted by Rev. J.B. O’Connell, “The sacring bell—unlike the large church bell—is not blessed.” Church Building and Furnishing: The Church’s Way (University of Notre Dame Press, 1955), p 231.
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
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