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For those of a campanological turn....

Northern_SacristanNorthern_Sacristan Shipmate Posts: 10
in Ecclesiantics
This being Holy Week, those of us in RC churches with bells rung in the English fashion generally get a lot of "you ring during holy week?" If your normal practice night occurs Mon-Wed.
Those of an Anglican persuasion (the majority of towers with bells rung that way) seem surprised, but why?

On Maundy Thursday, at the Mass of the Last Supper, the rubrics say:

7. The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is said. While the hymn is being sung, bells are rung, and when it is finished, they remain silent until the Gloria in excelsis of the Easter Vigil, unless, if appropriate, the Diocesan Bishop has decided otherwise. [Can't think of a good reason you would. A notable death requiring tolling maybe? But demonstrably above my pay grade...] Likewise, during this same period, the organ and other musical instruments may be used only so as to
support the singing.

Is there a similar rubric in Anglican circles? Curious as to where it actually comes from...

Comments

  • SandemaniacSandemaniac Shipmate
    Shhhhhhh! We are planning to Enjoy aquiet Thursday evening in with a beer as there is no practice in Holy Week!
  • SpikeSpike Ecclesiantics & MW Host, Admin Emeritus
    IME the bells being rung during the Gloria are usually small hand held bells rung by the altar party and congregation rather than tower bells.
  • Northern_SacristanNorthern_Sacristan Shipmate Posts: 10
    Spike wrote: »
    IME the bells being rung during the Gloria are usually small hand held bells rung by the altar party and congregation rather than tower bells.
    I think in this case, the distinction isn't there: prototypical the ringing of bells in the sanctuary would trigger the ringing if the tower bells (as with a bell at the elevation on a Sunday, if a suitable mechanism is in place). The rubic applies to tower bells too, so ringing wouldn't be allowed before the service on Good Friday.
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    Spike wrote: »
    IME the bells being rung during the Gloria are usually small hand held bells rung by the altar party and congregation rather than tower bells.

    Same at Our Place (also C of E, but Roman Catholic as near as makes no difference these days), with people being invited to jangle bunches of keys if they don't happen to possess a hand-bell!

    I recall being firmly admonished by an outraged Madam Sacristan, when I began unthinkingly to toll the bell a few minutes before the Good Friday Liturgy. Apparently, this would have earned me about another million years in Purgatory...

    Our one-and-only bell is out of action at the moment, much to the annoyance of FatherInCharge, who likes it to be rung at just about every opportunity (apart from those forbidden by Madam S).
  • TruronTruron Shipmate
    I know plenty of Anglican parishes where there would be tower practice in the early part of Holy Week although not from Thu-Sat normally. My own early life was spent ringing at the Gloria of the evening Communion on Maundy Thursday and then the next time at what was in those days called "The Easter Ceremonies" which was before the Te Deum that ended it, no first Communion of Easter then. Mind you some rural parishes did what @Bishops Finger mentions and tolled a bell on Good Friday afternoon at 3pm ... remote country parishes can do odd things 😏
  • AzzAzz Shipmate Posts: 1
    As a member of the Church of England who has been a ringer for over 50 years, my answer is "tradition". Some towers do ring in Holy Week, but they are the exception. Traditionally most practices do not take place. At the church I ring at (which is different from the church I worship at, for reasons I won't go into here) our usual practice night becomes the annual tower cleaning night! Sadly, I'm taking Night Prayer at my own church, so never get to participate. Shame!
  • Northern_SacristanNorthern_Sacristan Shipmate Posts: 10
    Tradition would account for it!

    I was curious as there's written reasons why an RC church can (which usually causes surprise) but nothing concrete the other way.
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Northern_Sacristan wrote: »
    Spike wrote: »
    IME the bells being rung during the Gloria are usually small hand held bells rung by the altar party and congregation rather than tower bells.
    I think in this case, the distinction isn't there: prototypical the ringing of bells in the sanctuary would trigger the ringing if the tower bells (as with a bell at the elevation on a Sunday, if a suitable mechanism is in place). The rubic applies to tower bells too, so ringing wouldn't be allowed before the service on Good Friday.

    I think liturgical rubrics only apply to what goes on inside the building, where the thing is happening. I have never seen anything that mentions bells in the tower.
  • Northern_SacristanNorthern_Sacristan Shipmate Posts: 10
    in some ways, the same rules as a sanctuary bell (mounted inside if in a bellcote) would apply- you wouldn't ring the server's sanctus bell before mass obviously, but they're kind of the same thing.
    Never seen a tower equipped with a Crotalus, mind!
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Northern_Sacristan wrote: »
    in some ways, the same rules as a sanctuary bell (mounted inside if in a bellcote) would apply- you wouldn't ring the server's sanctus bell before mass obviously, but they're kind of the same thing.
    Never seen a tower equipped with a Crotalus, mind!

    It would have to be a whopper. I remember them from my youth. The temptation to mutter "Up the Reds" was strong.
  • Northern_SacristanNorthern_Sacristan Shipmate Posts: 10
    We have one, but I'm never sure if we should use it or not. on the one hand..... But then it's a bit of a distraction as a novelty
  • ForthviewForthview Shipmate
    For reasons which may be obvious not all that many RC churches in the UK have bell towers.
    In Scotland,for example,they were not legally permitted until 1926 (That is not to say that they didn't exist )
    Of course it wasn't only RC churches but also Episcopal churches.,since only Church of Scotland charges were officially allowed to ring bells to call the faithful to worship.

    The Cowgate chapel in the Old Town of Edinburgh which,as an Episcopalian church which pledged its loyalty to the Hanoverians,was given in 1774 the special privilege of a bell and a fine bell tower. The bell in fact was removed when the Episcopalian congregation moved to the up and coming New Town of Edinburgh and built St Paul's and St George's - the bell came from the Catholic chapel royal in Holyrood Palace which was destroyed during religious riots.
    After a time as a (non CofS) Presbyterian church the Cowgate chapel became St Patrick's RC church (with a new (but illegal) bell brought from Ireland.
    St Patrick's RC church which may become officially the Edinburgh Oratory is celebrating
    its bicentenary this year and the Oratorian Fathers are keen to invite the various other religious groups which have used the building to the celebrations.
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