Dear Editor,
Francis Carryl’s letter in last Friday’s Stabroek News brought out many worthy points (‘Where have all the church bells gone?’ August 20). Perhaps our society has a new set of values and we do not regard the bell as something of value. Only recently I was enquiring from a certain parish church why it was that they never ring their bell. The answers were that there was no one to ring it and/or the housing was not stable enough.
Whatever the reasons the sound of a bell and the message contained in the ringing of them is a tradition that should be maintained. I learned a few years ago that an expert from the Smithsonian Institute visited Georgetown and inspected the bell at the Stabroek Market (a once famous bell in Georgetown).Of course he also visited bells at other locations such as the bells located at the General Post Office clock tower which many years ago would ring sweetly as the various times passed during the day.
If I may speak as a Catholic, there are bells at the churches in Meadow Bank, Peter’s Hall, St Pius, Kitty, Campbelliville, the Ursuline Convent on Camp Street, two bells in the tower of the church at Plaisance, Beterverwagting, Buxton/Friendship, Victoria and a beautiful sounding one in New Amsterdam, among others. The largest bell I have seen in Guyana is located at the top of Brickdam Cathedral. Many of these churches thankfully, still ring their bells.
In the parish where I live, the bell is still rung every Sunday at 9.15hrs. On Christmas Eve night, on Old Years’ night, on Holy Saturday (the day people now call incorrectly Easter Saturday) during the celebration at night, also for weddings and funeral services. Some Anglican churches and other Christian denominations also have bells on or around their churches.
Mr Carryl enquires as to the reason for the bell at Brickdam Cathedral being rung at 6 hrs and 18 hrs. (It is also rung at noon).
This is called the Angelus, a Latin word for Angel and is in memory of the Incarnation. The Angelus begins with the words “The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary” and is practised by reciting four (biblical) verses and responses alternating with the salutation “Hail Mary.”
This devotion is traditionally recited in Roman Catholic churches three times daily. Many churches still follow the devotion, while some practise it in their homes.
The Angelus is usually accompanied by the ringing of the Angelus bell which is to spread good will to everyone on earth. The angel referred to in the prayer is the Angel Gabriel, a messenger of God who revealed to Mary that she would conceive a child to be born the Son of God.
Yours faithfully
Francis Canzius
