What time does the first bell ring in the temple? Types of bells

In this regard, we met with the bell ringer of the Gradoyakut Transfiguration Cathedral, Vitaly Kalugin, and learned a little about the bell ringing craft.

- What is the purpose of bell ringing?

The ringing of bells is needed in order to call people to worship services, as well as in order to announce to people about some important moments and features during the service. Also, the ringing of the bell reminds those people who are outside the temple that a service is now underway, that now is the time to pray, so that people have the memory of God. Often people, hearing the bell ringing and knowing what is happening in the temple now important point worship services, are baptized, thereby showing reverence for God and the church.

- What time do the bells ring?

The bells are rung at the beginning of the evening service, at the sixth psalm (this is approximately the middle of the service), at the Gospel and at the end of the service, when the Mother of God is glorified in her song “My soul magnifies the Lord.”

In the morning, during the Liturgy, the bell rings before the start of the service: at the reading of the third and sixth hours, before the start of the Liturgy itself, at the Eucharistic canon (this is the most important moment). They also call when they meet and see off the bishop, and at the end of the service. In some churches they ring the bell when reading the Creed prayer.

Bell ringing is required on Saturdays, because the Mother of God is glorified on Saturday, and on Sundays, since every Sunday is Little Easter.

- Is the ringing on holidays different from the ringing on ordinary days?

It's not fundamentally different. On major holidays - Easter or Christmas - the ringing is more solemn than on weekdays. The guard bell differs more from the holiday bell. During Lent, the bell is rung very rarely, the ringing is quieter, the bells are struck less forcefully, because on ordinary days, after each strike of the bell, the Trisagion is read: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us,” and during Lent - Psalm 50, so the interval between striking the bell increases. Thus, by ringing the watch, they show that it is time for reflection, prayer, and work on oneself.

During Holy Week, the ringing of bells will almost cease, because at this time we remember how Christ went to free suffering in order to atone for the sins of the human race. And on the night of Easter, bright and joyful peals will sound throughout the city.

In addition, there are traditions of bell ringing, depending on the temple and region. For example, in some churches the bells are rung more often or less often. Or in our country the ringing of bells can be heard during the Eucharistic canon, and in the south they often ring during the reading of the Creed.

- Tell us about the types of ringing.

The ringing is divided into blagovest and trezvon. Blagovest is gradual striking of a large bell so that the sound is uniform and not chaotic, as I already said, after each strike of the bell the prayer “Trisagion” is read, then the strike follows again.

Trezvon is the ringing of all the bells, when they ring three times with short intervals: they rang, stopped, rang. This ringing occurs before the start of the Liturgy, on holidays, and also when meeting the bishop.

Chime - ringing alternately from a large bell to a small one, such a ringing occurs at the burial of the shroud. Tribor is a ringing from small to large, and at the end all the bells are struck. For example, on Thursday of Holy Week the Passion Gospels will be read. For each Passion Gospel a bell is struck.

There is also a double ring. This is like a trezvon, but it rings twice. Usually this kind of ringing occurs before prayers and after the Liturgy.

If several Liturgies are served in one church, for example, early and late, then traditionally the early Liturgy has a less solemn ringing than the late one.

- What is the red ringing and the crimson ringing?

In Church Slavonic, the word “red” does not mean color, but “beautiful, comely.” Therefore, the red ringing is one of the most beautiful, brightest ringings. Such a ringing can be heard on Bright Week, when the whole city is filled with the melody sounding from the bell towers.

Raspberry ringing - according to one version, a cute ringing that is pleasant to the ear. According to another version, the crimson ringing is the ringing sounding from bells that were cast in the city of Malin on the territory of modern Belgium, which were then brought to Russia.

- Tell us about the types of bells.

There are three types of bells: bass, tenor and triplet. The bass ones are the largest, they are responsible for the bell. Tenor bells are medium in size, triplet bells are the smallest bells in the bell tower, which are used for triring, double-ringing, and chiming. Bass bells produce dull, heavy sounds, while tenor bells produce softer sounds. The bells vary in size, from several meters in diameter to several centimeters.

You could say the whole bell tower is big musical instrument, employee good cause when preaching Christ.

- What are bells cast from?

The bells and tongues are 80% bronze and 20% tin. What is this composition for? Bronze is for strength, and tin is responsible for sound.

- How do they ring the bells?

The bell ringer monitors the service; as a rule, this is a person who knows the service well. At certain points in the service, he climbs the bell tower and rings the bells.

To ring bells, you need leverage over them. Ropes are tied to the tongues of tenor and triplet bells, pulled close to the wall of the bell and struck, a bundle of tenor bell ropes is taken in one hand, and triplet bells in the other and struck. That is, the ropes tied to the tongues of the bells are in a tense position, you just need to hit them. And the treols need to be pulled and ringing. They make pedals for the largest bells - bass bells, tie a rope to them and, by pulling it, make a sound from the bell. But if the bell is very large, it is struck not at one wall, but first at one, then at the other.

- Is it difficult to learn to call?

Any business is not easy to learn. The main thing here is practice, and seminary students have enough practice, because we participate in divine services and learn sextonism and the art of bell-ringing along the way. Now I’m in my 3rd year and I’m still learning and will continue to study bell-ringing, because there are still things that need to be learned better.

- What does it take to become a bell ringer?

Usually the abbot gives his blessing for bell ringing. For me, for example, this is one of the types of obedience.

- Where do they train to be bell-ringers?

There are schools of bell ringers in big cities - Moscow, Novosibirsk, in which both men and women are trained. But more often than not, the ability to ring bells is passed on from one person to another. For example, I was taught by more senior seminary students.

- Can those who want to look at the bells go up to the bell tower?

On Bright Week, everyone can go up to the bell tower and ring the bells - the bell ringer on duty or the sexton will lead you to the bell tower. It doesn’t matter whether you know how to call or not, they will help you and give you advice. And so you can rejoice at Easter with the ringing of the bell.

There is a tradition when, during the Easter period, bells are carried around settlements, where they are not, so that people can call and thereby glorify the risen Christ.

On ordinary days, in order to climb the bell tower and ring the bells, you need to ask for a blessing from the rector of the temple.

Is it true that the sound of a bell has a healing effect?

In a spiritual sense, I think so. After all, the ringing of bells reminds us of God, thereby directing our mind to comprehend the Trinity.

- Do you think being a bell-ringer is a calling, or can anyone become one?

I think every person who has hearing can become a bell ringer if blessed. With God's blessing, God's help, nothing is impossible.

- What will the bell ring on Easter?

There will be a bright and constant ringing throughout the city for the procession of the cross, during the Liturgy. And as I noted above, such a ringing will continue throughout Bright Week.

According to legend, the ringing of bells has special magical powers. Unclean spirits are afraid of bells and, hearing their ringing, fly away as far as possible. They hate bell music because it comes from sacred objects, and also because it disturbs the atmosphere in which they pursue their ethereal existence.
Having heard the ringing of the bell, the evil spirit flies as far as possible, otherwise the ringing will engulf them with its sounds, like waves, and spin them in a terrible whirlwind, like a light boat in a whirlpool.

The first strike of the bell petrifies the evil spirits; at the second strike, it rushes in confusion in all directions, and at the third, all the demonic power, if it does not have time to escape, falls into the underworld.

It is in this regard that, upon hearing the church gospel, it is customary to raise your head up at the first strike of the bell during the Blagovest, cross yourself after the second strike, and bow after the third.

Since ancient times believed that diseases were caused by demons, church bells were often rung during epidemics. In the XVI and XVII centuries With the advent of the plague, bells rang either slowly and measuredly, or frequently and with chimes. This was done according to the orders of the doctors of that time - not for reasons related to religion or superstition, but because it was believed that the loud sound dispersed the heavy, contaminated air, which was considered one of the causes of the disease.

Recognizing the healing power of the ringing of bells, peasants in the past treated dead growths on the body in this way: during the ringing of the bells, they took a bone to the cemetery and rubbed the growth with it until the end of the bell ringing. Those suffering from deafness went to the bell tower and, bending under the large bell, listened to the ringing of the bells.

“Klikush, sick with fever, were placed under the bell during the ringing in order to expel demons from their bodies. And when a person’s tongue was taken away, they poured water over the bell tongue and gave it to the sick person.”

Church bells were sometimes rung to help mothers in labor during difficult births. The greasy coating removed from the bell was used as an ointment, as people believed that it had healing properties. Even at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was used against ringworm, shingles and other skin diseases.

It is believed that if at the very beginning of the ringing you leave the house, enter it, or finish some task, this is a harbinger of good things.


“According to popular belief, the vegetation on the earth in the spring only really begins to grow when the first thunder strikes. It is not surprising that the ringing of bells in folk beliefs has a fairly close relationship with the harvest. In Russia, for example, they believe that whoever manages to be the first to climb the bell tower on Christ’s day and ring the bell will have a good harvest this year.”

Bell ringing has a close connection in folk beliefs with the dead. It was believed that the ringing of bells had the ability to awaken the dead from their deep sleep. People also believed that as soon as the bell was rung at midnight, the dead would rise from their graves and go to the river to drink.

In general, churches, chapels and bell towers at night served as a refuge for ghouls, the living dead and devils, disappearing with the first cry of the rooster. For example, an unclean spirit that inhabited the body of a dead sorcerer, one of those whom the earth did not accept after death, constantly lived in the bell tower. And if at midnight a daredevil climbed there, then without any problems he could see the bell spirit sitting in the corner, wearing a white cap. If you tear off his cap, you will suffer all your life: every night the bell-dead man will walk under the windows, asking you to put on the cap, and if you start putting it on, he will immediately strangle you.

“To this day, there is a widespread belief that a donation for a new bell can best alleviate the fate of a sinful soul in the afterlife, because how many times the bell is struck at Mass or Matins, how many Christian souls will cross themselves and offer a prayer to God. And for the soul whose bell rings, it will be easier from time to time...”

Church bells were often rung during a thunderstorm: to ward off thunder and lightning and protect everyone who heard the ringing from material and spiritual danger. In various parts of Europe, bells are still rung during hailstorms in an attempt to protect crops.

It is believed that the bell is an animate creature. Many legends claim that church bells live and think. In the presence of a saint or when a crime is being committed nearby, they call themselves.

In the days of sailing, the ship's bell was considered, in a sense, the embodiment of the soul of the ship. The sailors believed that he called himself at the moment when the wrecked ship was sinking.

The strange hum sometimes made by the bell when no one is touching it is considered a sure sign that someone will die in the parish before the end of the week.

Common bells, like church bells, are also surrounded by superstitions. Ringing on their own, they foretell misfortune, and if two bells in the house ring at the same time, this means separation.

Seeing a bell in a dream means strength and power; seeing it without a tongue means powerlessness and weakness. Just hearing the ringing of bells in a dream means empty and false rumors, quarrel, discord. Ringing bells means having a verbal altercation or legal battle with someone in the near future...

Church bell ringing is divided into two main types: 1. bell ringing and 2. ringing itself.

1. BLAGOVEST

Blagovest is the measured sound of one large bell. With this ringing, believers are called to the temple of God for Divine services. This ringing is called the Good News because it announces the good news about the beginning of the Divine service.

The gospel is performed as follows: first, three rare, slow, drawn-out strikes are made (until the sound of the bell stops), and then measured strikes follow. If the bell is very large or huge, then these measured blows are made by swinging the tongue at both edges of the bell. If the bell is relatively small, then in this case its tongue is pulled with a rope quite close to its edge, a board is placed on the rope and blows are made by pressing the foot.

Blagovest, in turn, is divided into two types:
1. Common or frequent and is produced by the largest bell; And
2. lean or rare, produced by a smaller bell, on the weekdays of Lent.

If there are several large bells at the temple, and this happens with cathedrals, large monasteries, laurels, then the large bells, in accordance with their purpose, are distinguished into the following bells: 1) festive; 2) Sunday; 3) polyeleous; 4) casual or everyday; 5) fifth or small bell.

Usually in parish churches there are no more than two or three large bells.

2. THE RINGING ACTIVITY

Actually, ringing is called ringing when all the bells or several bells are rung at once.

The ringing of all bells differs in:
1. Trezvon- this is ringing all the bells, then a short break, and a second ringing all the bells, again a short break, and the third time ringing all the bells, i.e. ringing all the bells three times or ringing in three steps.

The trezvon expresses Christian joy and triumph.

In our time, trezvon began to be called not only ringing all the bells three times, but, in general, ringing all the bells.

2. Two ringing- this is ringing all the bells twice, in two steps.

3. Chime- this is ringing each bell in turn (one or several strikes on each bell), starting from the largest one to the smallest one, and repeating this many times.

4. Bust- this is a slow ringing of each bell once, starting from the smallest to the largest, and after striking the large bell, they strike all the bells together at once, and repeat this many times.

USE OF RINGING AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE

RINGING AT THE ALL-NIGHT VIgil

1. Before you start All-Night Vigil- a good news message that ends with a trezvon.

2. At the beginning of the reading of the Six Psalms, two ringings are required. This double ringing announces the beginning of the 2nd part - Matins and expresses the joy - the incarnation of the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, our Lord Jesus Christ. The beginning of Matins, as we know, directly points to the Nativity of Christ and begins with the doxology of the angels who appeared to the Bethlehem shepherds: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Popularly, the two-ringing at the all-night vigil is called the “second ringing” (the second ringing after the beginning of the all-night vigil).

3. During the singing of the polyeleos, just before the reading of the Gospel, a trezvon is placed, expressing the joy of the celebrated event. At the Sunday All-Night Vigil, the pealing of the trezvon expresses the joy and triumph of the Resurrection of Christ. (In some localities it is performed while singing: “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ”...) this ringing is usually called in the manuals “the ringing of the Gospel.”

People call the trezvon at the All-Night Vigil (“the ringing of the Gospel”) the “third bell.”

4. At the beginning of the singing of the song of the Mother of God: “My soul magnifies the Lord...” there is a short gospel, consisting of 9 strikes on a large bell (according to the custom of Kyiv and all of Little Russia).

5. On Great Holidays, at the end of the Vigil, there is a trezvon.

6. During the bishop’s Divine Service, after each All-Night Vigil, a trezvon is required to see off the bishop.

RINGING AT THE LITURGY

Before the beginning of the reading of the 3rd and 6th hours, the bell ringing for the Liturgy is performed, and at the end of the 6th hour, just before the beginning of the Liturgy, the trezvon is rung.

If two Liturgies are served (early and late), then the bell for the early Liturgy is rarer and slower than for the late Liturgy, and is usually performed not on the largest bell.

During the bishop's Divine service, the good news for the Liturgy begins at the specified time. When a bishop approaches a church, a peal is rung. When the bishop enters the church, the trezvon stops and the bell ringing continues again until the bishop begins to vest. At the end of the 6th hour there is a ringing bell.

Then, during the Liturgy, the gospel is placed at the beginning of the “Eucharistic Canon,” the most important part of the Liturgy, to notify about the time of consecration and transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts.

At the prot. K. Nikolsky, in the book “Charter of Divine Services”, it is said that the gospel to “Worthy” begins with the words: “It is worthy and righteous to worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit...”, and comes before singing: “It is worthy to eat, as truly, blessed Theotokos..." Exactly the same indication is in the book: " ", Archbishop. Benjamin, ed. St. Petersburg. 1908 p. 213.

In practice, the bell to “Worthy” is shorter, consisting of 12 beats.

In the south of Russia, the gospel to “Worthy” is usually performed before the start of the “Eucharistic Canon”, during the singing of the Creed. (12 strikes, 1 strike for each member of the Creed).

The gospel to “Worthy” was introduced into the custom of Russian churches during the time of Moscow Patriarch Joachim (1690) in the likeness of Western churches, where they ring with the words: “Take, eat...”

After the end of the Liturgy, on all Great Holidays it is necessary to ring the bells (ring all the bells).

Also, after each Liturgy performed by the bishop, it is necessary to ring the bell to see off the bishop.

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, it is customary to ring the bells throughout the first day of the Feast, from Liturgy to Vespers.

For the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ:

The Blagovest for Bright Matins begins before the Midnight Office and continues until the beginning Procession of the Cross, and from the beginning of the procession to the end, and even longer, there is a joyful solemn pealing.

For the Easter Liturgy - bell and trezvon.

And at the Easter Liturgy itself, during the reading of the Gospel, there is frequent chiming, 7 strikes on each bell (the number 7 expresses the fullness of the glory of God). This solemn chime signifies the preaching of the Gospel of Christ in all languages. This chime, after reading the Gospel, ends with a joyful, victorious peal.

Throughout Bright Easter Week, the trezvon is rung daily, from the end of the Liturgy to Vespers.

On all Sundays, from Easter to Ascension, after the end of the Liturgy, it is necessary to ring the trezvon.

On Temple Holidays:

At the end of the Liturgy, before the start of the prayer service, there is a short bell and trezvon, and at the end of the prayer service, a trezvon.

During all religious processions, a trezvon is required.

For the Royal Hours there is an ordinary bell ringing with a large bell, and for the Lenten Hours there is a Lenten bell ringing with a smaller bell. Both at the Royal Hours and at the Lenten Hours there is a ringing before each hour: before the 3rd hour the bell is struck three times, before the 6th - six times, before the 9th - nine times. Before fine and Compline - 12 times. But if there is a holiday during Lent, then the bell on the clock is not struck separately at each hour.

At Matins of Great Heel, which is served in the evening on Vel. Thursday and when the 12 Gospels of the Passion of the Lord are read, in addition to the usual blagovest and trezvon ringing at the beginning of Matins, the blagovest is performed for each Gospel: for the 1st Gospel - 1 strike of the large bell, for the 2nd Gospel - 2 strikes, for the 3rd Gospel – 3 hits, etc.

At the end of Matins, when believers carry the “Thursday fire” home, the trezvon is rung.

USING THE CHIME AND ITS IMPORTANCE

At the vespers of Great Heel, before the removal of the Shroud, during the singing: “For you who are clothed...”, a slow chime is supposed to ring once on each bell (from large to small), and according to the position of the Shroud in the middle of the temple, the peal is immediately rung.

At Matins of Great Saturday, starting with the singing of the “Great Doxology” and throughout the entire procession with the Shroud around the temple, there is a chime, the same as when the Shroud is taken out, i.e., a slow chime, 1 time in each bell from high to small. When they bring the Shroud into the temple and reach the Royal Doors with It, the ringing will immediately ring.

The slow ringing of each bell once, starting with the largest, most powerful sound, and gradually reaching the thinnest and highest sound of the small bell, symbolizes the “exhaustion” of our Lord Jesus Christ for the sake of our salvation, just as we sing, for example. , in the irmos of the 4th canto, 5th tone: “I understand Your Divine exhaustion... for the salvation of Your people...”.

According to the established centuries-old practice of Russian Orthodox Church(in the central part of Russia) such a chime should be made only twice a year: in Vel. Friday and Vel. Saturday, the day of the Lord’s death on the cross and His free burial. Experienced bell ringers watch this especially strictly and in no way allow the mournful ringing of one relating to the Lord, our Savior, to be the same as the funeral ringing of ordinary, mortal and sinful people.

At Matins on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, on the Sunday of the Worship of the Cross and on August 1, before the removal of the cross from the altar during the singing of the “Great Doxology”, there is a chime, in which they slowly strike 3 times (in some areas 1 time) on each bell from largest to smallest. When the cross is brought to the middle of the temple and placed on the lectern, the peal will ring.

A similar chime, but only frequent, quick, and 7 times (or 3 times) for each bell, occurs before the small consecration of water. When the cross is immersed in water, it rings.

The same as before the blessing of water, there is a chime before ordination to the rank of Bishop. In general, frequent ringing of each bell several times is a solemn ringing. In some areas, such a chime is performed before the start of the Liturgy on church holidays and on other solemn occasions, for example, as mentioned above, when reading the Easter Gospel.

USING BURST AND ITS IMPORTANCE

Bust, otherwise a funeral or funeral bell, expresses sadness and grief for the deceased. It takes place, as mentioned above, in reverse order than chiming, that is, they slowly strike each bell once, from the smallest to the largest, and after that they strike all the bells simultaneously. This mournful funeral procession necessarily ends with a short peal, expressing the joyful Christian faith in the resurrection of the deceased.

Due to the fact that some manuals on ringing indicate not to ring the bell during funeral services for the dead, and this does not correspond to church practice, we give some clarification on this matter.

The slow selection of bells, from the smallest to the largest, symbolizes the growing human life on earth, from infancy to maturity and manhood, and the simultaneous ringing of the bells means the end of earthly life by human death, in which everything that a person has acquired for this life is abandoned. As this is expressed in the songs during the funeral service: “All human vanity does not endure after death: wealth does not endure, nor glory descends: when death came, all this was consumed. (Or as another hymn says: “in one moment, and all this death is accepted”). Let us cry out to the immortal Christ: give rest to him who is departed from us, where everyone has a dwelling place for those who rejoice.”

The second part of the song directly points to the joy in the future life with Christ. It is then expressed, at the conclusion of the mournful enumeration, by a ringing sound.

In the magazine “Orthodox Rus'”, in the “Questions and Answers” ​​section, Archbishop. Averky, regarding the customs during funeral services and memorial services, gave firmly grounded explanations, which should certainly also apply to ringing: “In our opinion Orthodox custom, it is necessary to perform memorial services and funeral services in light vestments. The custom of performing these rites in black vestments came to us from the West and is completely unusual for the spirit of the saint. Orthodoxy, but nevertheless it has spread quite widely among us - so much so that it is now not easy to eradicate it... For a true Christian, death is a transition to better life: joy, not sorrow, as this is beautifully expressed in the most touching third kneeling prayer, read at Vespers on the day of Pentecost: “For there is no death, O Lord, for Thy servant, who proceeds to us from the body, and who comes to Thee our God, but death is from the saddest for the most useful and sweetest, and for peace and joy” (see Triode Tsvetnaya).

The trezvous, reminiscent of the resurrection, has a beneficial effect on the believing Christian soul, grieving over separation from the deceased, and gives it inner consolation. There is no reason to deprive a Christian of such consolation, especially since this trezvon has firmly entered the life of the Russian Orthodox people and is an expression of their faith.

Thus, when the deceased is carried to the church for the funeral service, a mournful search is performed, and when he is brought into the church, a trezvon is performed. After the funeral service, when the deceased is taken out of the church, a search is made again, which also ends with the ringing of the trezvon.

During the funeral service and burial of Priests, Hieromonks, Archimandrites and Bishops, a slightly different enumeration is performed. First, they strike the large bell 12 times, then the ringing follows, again the large bell is struck 12 times and the ringing again, etc. When the body is brought into the temple, a trezvon is performed, and after the prayer of permission is read, a trezvon is struck. When the body is taken out of the temple, there is again the indicated overkill, and when the body is placed in the grave, there is a ringing. In other places they call the usual funeral call.

The “Official Book” states that during the removal of Patriarch Joachim there was a bell sound, changing all the bells occasionally (Temporary Imperial Moscow General History and Ancient 1852 book 15, p. 22).

Recently we happened to find out that there was another type of busting - this is one blow on each bell, but starting from the big one to the small one, and then a simultaneous blow on all the bells. This was confirmed by the gramophone record: “Rostov Bells”, recorded in Rostov in 1963. In practice, we have never heard such a ringing; there are no instructions about it in ringing manuals. Therefore, we cannot indicate where and when it was used.

There is also the so-called red ringing of all the bells (“all the hard times”).

Red ringing occurs at cathedrals, monasteries, laurels, i.e. where there is a large number of bells, which contain many large bells. The red ringing is performed by several bell ringers, five or more people.

The red ringing occurs on Great Holidays, during solemn and joyful events in the Church, as well as to honor the diocesan bishop.

In addition, we should also mention the “alarm” or “alarm” ringing, which has social and everyday significance.

An alarm or alarm ringing is the continuous, frequent striking of a large bell. The alarm or flash was rung during an alarm in the event of a fire, flood, rebellion, invasion of enemies or some other public disaster.

“Veche” bells were the name given to the bells with which residents of Novgorod and Pskov called people to a veche, that is, to a national assembly.

Victory over the enemy and the return of the regiments from the battlefield were heralded by the joyful, solemn ringing of all the bells.

In conclusion, let us recall that our Russian bell ringers have achieved high skill in bell ringing and have become famous throughout the world. Many tourists came from Europe, England and America to Moscow for the Easter holiday to listen to the Easter ringing.

On this “holiday holiday” in Moscow, in total, more than 5,000 bells rang from all churches. Anyone who heard the Moscow Easter ringing could never forget it. It was “the only symphony in the world,” as the writer I. Shmelev writes about it.

This powerful, solemn ringing shimmered throughout Moscow with the various melodies of each temple and ascended from earth to heaven, like a victorious hymn to the Risen Christ.

From the book “Fundamentals of the Worship of the Orthodox Church.”

On preparatory days By the way, on cheese Wednesday and Friday, there is no liturgy, but the reading of the Hours is performed according to the Lenten model. However, there is no need to ring the Lenten bell yet. This is indicated in the Typikon in chapter 49: “We don’t hit the campan during the hours.”

On Saturdays and Sundays, fasting for the service is postponed, and the full liturgy is celebrated. Consequently, already on Friday, no great bows are required for Great Compline, and accordingly, non-fast bells are assigned for the evening services.

For vespers on Sundays The good news is set to sound on a large bell, since the fast itself begins after Vespers, and also because at these Vespers the entrance takes place and the Great Prokeimenon is proclaimed.

Every Sunday during the period is celebrated specially.

IN ends, and at the same time the use of the hourly chimes characteristic of this period ceases.

IN Saturday called , The good news is carried out on a festive bell, the trezvon rings on everything without a festive one. There are no instructions about this in the Typikon (there are in other charters, for example, in the official of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral). In many places, the ringing for this service is carried out using a holiday bell, and just like on the week of the Worship of the Cross, this ringing has already become traditional.

The soothsayer Vanga also spoke about the need to have a bell in every home. “With its shimmering sounds it will protect the house from all evil spirits, the representatives of which do not like loud sounds, especially those that are repeated frequently. That’s why we need bells in the house.” We were talking about the bells of the Slavic peoples, which can be made of clay, bronze, silver, steel or glass.

Bells are also widely used in Chinese practice. In Feng Shui, bells are used to get rid of evil spirits or call upon positive chi energy. How should you use a bell to help protect your home and family from negative energy? The main strength of the bell lies in its rhythmic sounds. In order to prevent negative energy from entering your home, you need to get a small silver bell, although a steel one will do. If you have several options and can't decide on a bell, choose the one whose sound you like best.

The process of preparing the bell for use must be carried out by the housewife. To do this, you need to lower the bell into a glass of red wine, two-thirds full, and say over it: Wine is strength and wisdom, wine strengthens health and blood, wine gives happiness and joy, give wine, your strength to the bell so that it becomes yours. scared away with the ringing evil forces and brought happiness into the house. The housewife should drink the wine from this glass in one sip during lunch the next day. And the bell needs to be rinsed under running water, rubbed between your fingers and left under the hostess’s pillow overnight so that it gains strength. A sign that the bell has worked will be pleasant dreams and a good mood of the hostess. Now it is ready to protect your home. You need to choose a place for it in a draft: hang it on a window or at the entrance to the house. The length of the thread or rope on which the bell will hang should be seven centimeters, and you can choose any color. To increase the protective properties of the bell, you can weave a braid of red, white and black ropes or hang three bells, tightly tying the strings of each bell three times. You know, after all: God loves the trinity.

The place for the bell should be out of the area of ​​direct electric light, since the power of the bell is “exposed” there, but it can be left under the rays of the sun. You should also not hang a bell near dark curtains, which can cope with the negative energy. It's good if the bell self made, then he absorbed the warmth of the hands of the master who worked on its creation and this will make the bell alive.

It's good when the bell rings often and cheerfully. But if sadness and sadness are heard in his voice or he is completely silent, then it’s time to replace him with another, this one can no longer cope with his job.

There must be a new bell bigger size than its predecessor, which must be filled inside with the pulp of bread and put away in a place where no one will see it. And after a year you can “turn it on” again and it will be ready to serve you again.

The bell is a great gift for any home, especially if a child has recently appeared in it. Bring such a gift, explain to the hostess how to make the bell work and advise her to hang it next to the baby’s crib.

A woman can attach a small bell to a hairpin or other decoration that is constantly worn; it will protect against evil spirits that want to bring suffering. It can be silver or steel, clay, crystal bell. You need to handle it very carefully, especially if it’s fragile, so that it doesn’t suddenly break. And if this does happen, it means there is an ill-wisher nearby who has sent damage to the house. Such a bell should be hung on a red satin ribbon, and the edges should be covered with black or white thread.