Altar Bell - Wikipedia

9/17/2019 Altar bell - Wikipedia
Altar bell
In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, Lutheranism, Methodism and Anglicanism, an altar or sanctus bell is ty pically a small hand-held bell or set of bells. The primary reason for the use of such
bells is to create a joy ful noise to the Lord as a way to giv e thanks for the miracle taking place atop the altar. [1 ] An ancillary function of the bells is to focus the attention of those attending the Mass that
a supernatural ev ent is taking place on the altar. [1 ] Such bells are also commonly referred to as the Mass bell, sacring bell, Sacry n bell, saints' bell, sance-bell, or sanctus bell (or "bells", when
there are two or more). [1 ] and are kept on the credence table or some other conv enient location within the sanctuary .
Contents
Use in the Catholic Church
Use at Mass Altar bells, with cross handle
Benediction
Lutheran use
Anglican use
Other Protestant use
References
Use in the Catholic Church

Altar bells
Use at Mass
"A little before the Consecration, when appropriate, a serv er rings a bell as a signal to the faithful."[2 ][3 ] The usual moment chosen for giv ing the signal of the approach of the Consecration is when the
priest stretches out his hands ov er the host and the chalice while reciting the epiclesis. Mention of this signal was introduced into the Roman Missal in Pope John XXIII's 1962 rev ision. [4 ] Ev en before
1962 it was common practice to giv e this signal, although it then "ha[d] no authority ". [5 ]
All pre-197 0 editions of the Roman Missal, including that of 1962, prescribe continuous ringing of the altar bell while the priest recites the words of the Sanctus at Low Mass. [6 ] but, in line with its
abolition of a hard and fast distinction between sung and merely spoken Mass, the 197 0 edition makes no mention of that practice.
"According to local custom, the serv er also rings the bell as the priest shows the host and then the chalice."[2 ] Pre-197 0 editions of the Roman Missal prescribe either a triple or a continuous ringing of
the bell at each showing of the consecrated elements. [7 ] Pre-1962 editions also prescribe that the serv er should first light a torch, to be extinguished only after the priest has consumed the chalice or
has giv en Communion to any others who are to receiv e the Eucharist. [8 ]
Sanctus bells
On 10 September 1898, the Congregation of Sacred Rites declared inappropriate the use of a gong instead of the altar bell. [1 ]
The ringing of an altar bell began probably in the 13th century . [9 ] It is not mentioned in the original 157 0 Roman Missal of Pope Pius V [1 0 ] and was not introduced into papal Masses until the time of Pope John
Paul II. [9 ]
When, before the reintroduction of concelebration, priests frequently said Mass at a side altar while a public celebration was taking place at a nearby altar, the Congregation of Sacred Rites found it necessary to
issue a prohibition against ringing a bell at the Mass celebrated at the side altar. [1 1 ] The same rule was made ev en for a Solemn Mass celebrated at an altar other than that at which the Blessed Sacrament is publicly
exposed, and allowed the ringing of the altar bell to be omitted when Mass was celebrated at the altar of exposition. [1 2 ]
Like all church bells, the altar bell is not rung from the end of the Gloria in excelsis at the Mass of the Lord's Supper until the beginning of the Gloria in excelsis at the Easter Vigil. During this interv al a clapper
(crotalus/matraca, in Latin, Crotalum, Crepitaculum) is sometimes used in place of the altar bell. [1 ]
In a few places there is a local custom, not mandated by liturgical law, of not using altar bells during the season of Adv ent and of then ringing them throughout the Gloria at Christmas Midnight Mass to celebrate
the resumption of their use. [1 3 ]
Benediction
Mid-1900s three-tiered
Bells may also be run during Eucharistic adoration and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. [1 ] bell at Our Lady of
Manaoag.
Lutheran use
In branches of Lutheranism, altar bells are rung at the two appropriate times during the Words of Institution ("This is my body ... This is the cup of my blood...") to signify the real presence. [1 4 ]
Anglican use
Anglican parishes use the altar bell, which is rung to signify the Real Presence of Christ in the sacred Elements. During the Eucharist, it is usually rung three times - once before the Words of Institution,
and once at each elev ation of the Host and of the Chalice. It may also be rung to indicate the time that the faithful may come forward to receiv e Communion. [1 5 ]
The bells are also rung when the monstrance or ciborium is exposed or processed, for example when mov ing the reserv ed Sacrament from a side altar to the high altar. Custom differs concerning its use
at Low Mass, or during Lent and Holy Week. [1 ]
In some churches, particularly in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, a large (and sometimes decorated) gong, struck with a mallet, may be used during the celebration of mass as an alternativ e to the altar
bell. [1 5 ]
Other Protestant use

In some Methodist churches, particularly the United Methodist Church of the United States, altar bells are used two different times during common serv ices held on Sunday s. [1 6 ] The Chimes of the
Trinity are rung by an acoly te before the prelude of the serv ice and at the end of the benediction. The Chimes of the Trinity is the ringing of the bell three times to represent the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit.
References An altar gong and mallet, used as an

alternative to the altar bell in some
6. Ritus servandus in celebratione Missae, VII, 8
1. Herrera, Matthew D.Sanctus Bells: Their History and Use in the Catholic Church. San Luis Obispo: churches (especially in Anglo-
Tixlini Scriptorium, 2004 (http://www.ewtn.com/library/liturgy/sanctusbells.pdf) 7. Ritus servandus in celebratione Missae, VIII, 6 Catholicism).
2. General Instruction of the Roman Missal (http://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/GIRM/Document 8. Ritus servandus in celebratione Missae, VIII, 6 in pre-1962 editions of the Roman Missal
s/GIRM.pdf), 150 9. Bells at the Consecration (http://www.ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur94.htm)
3. Dennis Chester Smolarski, "The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 1969-2002: A 10. Missale Romanum. Editio Princeps (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1998 ISBN 88-209-2547-8)
Commentary" (https://books.google.com/books?id=Rfgqp26ey9wC&pg=PA20&lpg=PA20&dq=bell+% 11. Decree of 31 Aigist 1967
22roman+missal%22&source=bl&ots=gH5cRMSFOD&sig=EFtC0GrtavC8CRMsQ0aMLv7yr4o&hl=en 12. Gardellini, Instr. Clem., nos. 16, 4, 5
&ei=uJu5S47jKZD20wSQkNDkBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CBsQ6AEwBg
13. Edward McNamara, "Substituting Bells in Advent" (http://www.ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur516.htm)
#v=onepage&q=bell%20%22roman%20missal%22&f=false) (ISBN 978-0-8146-2936-9), pp. 20-21
14. Altar Guild and Sacristy Handbook by S. Anita Stauffer (Augsburg Fortress)
4. Minister paulo ante Consecrationem campanulae signo fideles moneat (Ritus servandus in
celebratione Missae, VIII, 6 in the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal, but not in earlier editions) 15. "Art and Devotion" (https://sites.google.com/site/stgabrielacton/our-church/art-devotion). Final
paragraph: St Gabriel's Church, North Acton. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
5. Adrian Fortescue, Canon of the Mass (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03255c.htm), in Catholic
Encyclopedia 16. "Methodist Magazine" (https://books.google.com/?id=t78QAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA391&lpg=PA391&dq=m
ethodist+altar+bell#v=onepage&q=&f=false). 1890.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Schulte, Augustin Joseph (1907 ). "Altar (in Liturgy )" (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Ency clopedia_(1913)/Altar_(in_Liturgy )). In Herbermann, Charles
(ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 1. New Y ork: Robert Appleton.
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Use in the Catholic Church

Other Protestant use

References An altar gong and mallet, used as an

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Altar_bell&oldid=915157483"

This page was last edited on 11 September 2019, at 15:20 (UTC).

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