A special moment of the day when the bell ringing of the 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 fertile.
But the bell ringing also obeys its own rules (charter) and can be different depending on the time of day, day of the week, holiday. Read more about this in our article.
Meaning for the Russian people
Even before the birth of Christ, believers were familiar with the ringing of bells. Especially on the territory of Russian lands. But then the religions were pagan, which is why the bells were not accepted by the first Christians for some time.
Even the Apostle Paul does not very positively mention in the Holy Scriptures about "ringing brass", that is, about the ringing of bells, as an empty sound.
But in the era of the dawn of the Christian religion, Orthodoxy, this majestic ringing instrument becomes the main symbol of the spiritual life of the Russian people.
The bells were poured only by real masters whomastered this art to perfection.
And until now, when a Russian believer suddenly hears the ringing of church bells, the hand involuntarily reaches out to make the sign of the cross. Probably, this is already "in the blood" of the people.
In general, the ringing of bells is very in tune with the soul and high spirit of the inhabitants of Russia. The same majestic, clean, bright…
Description
Also, bell ringing is an important part of worship in the Orthodox Church. And it is regulated by the Typicon - the church liturgical charter.
This is a document approved by the Synodal Liturgical Commission, and also approved by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow in August 2002.
According to the charter, church bells are divided into 3 main types:
- Blagovest (when single strikes are made on the big bell).
- Ringing (when several bells ring at the same time).
- Chime (successive strikes of the bells - from largest to smallest).
Also there is: enumeration (consecutive strikes on the bells - from large to small, including "in all"), "two bells" (two bells - the guard and the one next from him, and then both at the same time) and a water-holy chime (successive strikes on the bells: from the largest to the smallest, 7 times each).
For example, according to the statute on the ringing of bells on Easter, both the blagovest and the chime sound. The same applies to other holidays and weekdays.
Blagovest
These are beats that sound one after the other. But there are pauses between them: after the first and second times (until the sound disappears completely), and the next - in the rhythm of the 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 evangelism are determined (for example, at the all-night vigil - according to the duration of reading the Psalms 50 or 118 - 12 times, which equals approximately 15 minutes).
The Good News is also subdivided into:
- Sunday (bell weight - 3, 25 tons);
- poly;
- casual (1.64t);
- festive (6 t);
- Lenten.
Trezvon
This is the simultaneous ringing of all the bells - for three approaches. The method of ringing mainly depends on the skill of the ringer himself, since there are no specific provisions for it in the charter.
As a rule, the trezvon begins all-night vigils (after the end of the blagovest) and sounds again before the break. Also, at the morning service: before the reading of the Gospel, before the start of the Liturgy, at the time of the removal of the Shroud and the Holy Cross, during the procession.
When ringing, the bells are struck twice (two-ring), three times, six and nine times.
Thus, if the blagovest announces the beginning of worship, then the chime - about important events (bearing the sound of spiritual joy!).
It can also be performed at different bells: Sunday, weekday and so on.
Chime
It is typical here that each bell is struck 3 times - from the veryfrom large to smallest.
The chime sounds during the pronunciation of the Great Glory to the Lord, after which the Cross is brought out (on the feast day of the Ex altation), also on the Week of the Cross, before the procession, the blessing of water and the first of August. On Good Friday, before the removal of the Shroud, a chime sounds.
This type of bell ringing prepares the faithful for the perception of especially important events.
All bells must be made depending on the sign of the service and only with the blessing of the rector.
Holidays
According to the charter of bell ringing, they distinguish:
- Everyday calls.
- Sunday.
- Polyeleon.
- Lent.
- On temple, great and twelfth holidays.
- Extraordinary preparatory weeks and Lent.
- Uncommon annual circle.
- On Easter and Holy Week.
- At the meeting and departure of the bishop.
- Wedding.
- Baptismal.
- To the funeral.
Let's look at some of them in more detail.
Calls for Easter and Holy Week
On the eve of the bright Christian holiday, from Maundy Thursday to Saturday, there is no bell ringing at all. And it's not just that.
According to church belief, it is believed that this is the time of confrontation between the forces of light and darkness. After that, the first ones win and the Easter holiday begins.
The charter of bell ringing on this day is special: it sounds like a blessing, a chime, and a chime. In thethe light is turned on in the bell tower and the sacred musical act begins, which the ringer performs, thus informing the world about the victory of good and light.
The procedure for ringing the bells for Easter is set out below.
Liturgy:
- Midnight Office, at which a barely performed evangelism is heard at the holiday bell;
- Religious procession to the sounds of chimes;
- Easter start - entering the temple with the ringing (with a holiday bell);
- Eucharistic canon, during which the gospel sounds (12 slow strokes) in the holiday bell;
- Kissing the Cross - ringing with the Sunday bell.
Easter Vespers:
- blagovest announcing the beginning of Vespers (40 strokes of the holiday bell);
- chime with a holiday bell;
- after 1 hour, the bell sounds again, announcing the end.
Liturgy:
- before the beginning, the sounds of the blagovest (40 beats) are heard, and then the chime;
- Eucharistic canon with the gospel (12 slow strokes);
- Religious procession when ringing (sounds stop when stopped);
- kissing the Cross - ringing with the Sunday bell.
There is a tradition: on Easter week, all parishioners can climb the bell tower and try to ring the bells. Children especially love it.
As for the charter on the ringing of bells in Holy Week, such days as Holy Thursday and the bright Easter holiday itself (about which information is above) are especially important.
On the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This solemn day also has its own sequence of bell ringing. The charter provides for the following on the Assumption:
- before the beginning of the Evening service, the bells sound at the festive bell (40 times, and the first three are long);
- at the moment the Shroud is taken out, a chime sounds;
- at the position of the Shroud in the temple - peal;
- when the Shroud is buried, a procession is performed at the chime;
- when placing the Shroud - chime;
- The Liturgy is served with the ringing of the bells of the Twelfth Feast.
On Radonitsa
Easter week ends with a memorial day. It is also called Radonitsa. The charter of bell ringing on parental day also has its own sequence. A mournful chime and chime sounds.
In Russia, according to ancient beliefs, radonitsa and funeral feasts are deities that protected the souls of the dead. In Christianity, everything is one, that is, there is no division into the living and the dead - for God, everyone is alive.
Radonitsa comes from a long-standing prescription, according to which the commemoration of those who left the earthly plane during Great Lent (on the occasion of the traditional 3, 9 and 40 days), not performed at their own hour (due to the Lenten period), is transferred on the next weekday on which the Liturgy is celebrated. This is the day of St. Thomas' week - Tuesday.
In general, the commemoration on Radonitsa can be performed up to 9 days after Easter. And religious celebrations in churches still last until the Ascension of the Lord (that is, another 32 days).
Calls toLiturgies
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, the blagovest sounds (moreover, 40 strokes, the first three of which are slow) and chimes (everyday bell in both cases);
- on completion - chime;
- 10 minutes before the start of the Liturgy, the blagovest (40 beats) and chimes also sound;
- at the Eucharistic canon - blagovest (12 beats at a slow pace);
- at the end of the Liturgy (when kissing the Cross) - chime.
For Christmas
The bells are usually rung for great, twelfth and temple holidays. The bells and whistles are heard.
According to the charter of the bell ringing at Christmas, the blows are made on the holiday bell.
All-night service:
- 10 minutes before Vespers - Blagovest (40 beats) followed by chimes;
- before the start of matins the chime sounds;
- according to the Gospel - chime;
- on completion - chime.
Liturgy:
- before the start, 10 minutes before the start, a blagovest sounds (40 beats), and after it - a chime;
- at the Eucharistic canon – blagovest (12 strokes);
- at the end (at the sacred moment of kissing the Cross) - a chime.
Maundy Thursday
On Maundy or Maundy Thursday, the bell ringing is carried out in the following order:
- before the start of matins - blagovest (40 strokes);
- before reading the Gospel- strikes on the bell according to the number of the read (first reading - 1 strike, second reading - 2 strikes), a total of 12 Gospels. Then a short chime sounds.
After that, there is silence until Easter. But, according to the charter about the bell ringing on Maundy Thursday, the Sunday bell is used.
In Lent
When the weeks before Easter begin, special services are performed in churches, which are also accompanied by bell ringing.
According to the charter of Great Lent, the following are used: guard bell, ringing "for two", blagovest, chime.
At Morning Service (Monday to Friday):
- before the 3rd hour - three strikes on the watch bell;
- before the 6th - six;
- before the 9th - nine;
- before the start of Vespers (the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts) – “in two.”
In the evening service for 5 minutes, the bell sounds the bell (40 times).
Liturgy of John Chrysostom:
- before the start - the blessing of the weekday bell (40 times), after which the ringing is carried out;
- during the Eucharistic canon, the blessing sounds on the everyday bell (12 unhurried strokes);
- when kissing the Holy Cross, the peal is struck with the Sunday bell.
All-night service:
- before the start of Vespers - the blagovest (40 strokes) followed by the ringing of the Sunday bell;
- before the start of the morning service, the trezvon (on the Sunday bell);
- the gospel sounds a chime (at the time of the Antiphons before the reading of the Gospel);
- at the end - the ringing of the Sunday bell.
LiturgyBasil the Great:
- before the start - blagovest on Sunday bell (40 times), chime;
- at the Eucharistic canon - blagovest (12 calm strokes lasting 25 seconds);
- when kissing the Holy Cross - ringing the Sunday bell.
Interesting information
There are modern bells, and there are those that are more than one hundred years old. These are the ones that have historical significance:
- especially valuable (made before the 17th century);
- very valuable (XVII-XVIII centuries);
- valuable (XIX-XX centuries);
- of little value (after 1930).
Historical value is also influenced by such factors as: the integrity of the form, material, weight, the shape of the product itself, sound quality, inscriptions, the name of the master.
CV
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:
- preserve the traditions of Orthodox ringing, which are an important part of the life of Russian Orthodoxy (as the spiritual and cultural heritage of the country);
- for proper use of church bells;
- to support the desire of young ringers to master this specialization (there are special schools in the country where they study this skill).
The charter summarizes everything. Hecontains only the most necessary information regarding the 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 ringers, if this does not contradict its provisions and the Orthodox religion as a whole.
