Bells

At the end of our street is Notre Dame de Prat with its three church bells.

They ring once on the quarter hour, twice on the half, three times on the three-quarter and four times on the hour followed by the bells that are the same as the time.

At 7:05 a.m. and p.m. they ring 30 times.

The bells for Mass, weddings and funerals sound different.

Living so close we hear them easily when the doors and windows are open and a little more softly when they are closed.

There is something comforting in their music, a steadiness in the routine of daily life.

In  Switzerland where we live in Collonge-Bellerive, it is harder to hear the church bells. Much depends on the wind, but when we are in the center of the village at noon, I've counted over 100 rings.

I say over 100 because I'm sure I've lost count more than once. The feeling is the same.

Although I have no religion, the bells celebrate parts of life that go beyond any religion. They call out to my fellow humans.

Bells have existed for over 3000 years having been introduced in China and have been connected with religion almost as long. A secondary use was to send information.

Bells were a way to reach the gods, or they were considered a symbol or wisdom, peace patience and/or other positive attributes.

In Ancient Egypt bells used bells in their ceremonies.

Bell founding in Italy helped establish bells as part of Christian ceremonies. Pope Sabinian during his two year reign (604-606) used bells for blessings and in England Saint Bede rang bells as part of funeral ceremonies.
 
Bells and ceremonies is summarized in the Edith Piaf song "Trois Cloches": bells rung for birth, marriage and death. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVuKLxx-ETY

And more recently in the theater production of Notre Dame de Paris, Garou as Quasimodo sings about bells www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtuTv0CbmPkThere's the Emily Dickinson poem

Of Tolling Bell I ask the cause?
"A Soul has gone to Heaven"
I'm answered in a lonesome tone—
Is Heaven then a Prison?

That Bells should ring till all should know
A Soul had gone to Heaven
Would seem to me the more the way
A Good News should be given

A bell can be part of a sympathy,

History, music, poetry and books have bells, but for me, just waking up and hearing the bells and knowing its 7:05 is a pleasure. I can decide to go back to sleep, read, or get up and start my day.