church bell

Church bell from Saleby, Västergötland, Sweden containing an inscription from 1228 in the Runic alphabet

A church bell is a bell which is rung in a (especially Christian) church either to signify the hour or the time for worshippers to go to church, perhaps to attend a wedding, funeral, or other service.

In the Roman Catholic Church and some High Lutheran and Anglican churches, the church bells are rung during the Consecration, the point in the Mass when the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Christ. In each Catholic church, there is a bell called the Angelus Bell, which is rung during the Angelus prayer: in the morning, at midday and in the evening.

Some church bells are electronically timed to chime automatically. Clocks generally automatically strike, but in the United Kingdom, bells for services, etc., are still almost always rung by people. Some churches use recorded or digitally synthesised bells.

Cathedral Church of Saint Matthew Bell

Cathedral Cologne Bell

The practice and hobby of bell-ringing is known as campanology. Change ringing is a particular facet of campanology where bells are rung in mathematical sequence. Wedding cards commonly show bells: this is founded on the tradition of ringing changes as the wedding couple leave the church.

See also

• Bells
• Campanology
• Change ringing

External links

• Cologne Cathedral Bells

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