Distant Church Bells

The birdcalls give a light tone to the heavy and haunting sound of church bells chiming nearby. The townspeople stir in their doorways, slowly moving toward the source of the sound that is swimming in their ears and throughout every cracked window in the village. The wanderers wave to one another as they pass by, a knowing nod given reflects the universal nature of another day dutifully spent sitting in silent repentance. Church bells became common in Europe in the early Middle Ages. They were first common in northern Europe, reflecting Celtic influence, especially that of Irish missionaries. Before the use of church bells, Greek monasteries would ring a flat metal plate to announce services. In many Catholic churches, the ringing of a church bell in the morning, at midday and in the evening, is called the Angelus bell. The noon bell was orderred by Pope Callixtus III in 1456, as a support for the Hungarian defenders to encourage their fight against the Ottoman expansion. In the Eastern Orthodox Church there is a long and complex history of bell ringing, with particular bells being rung in particular ways to signify different parts of the divine services, Funeral tolls, etc.