A visible sign
Not every rope has a bell on the other end. I am sure you can think of many examples, such as on a sailing ship. One that comes to mind for me and my wife Kathy, is when we went on Pilgrimage. Let me explain: around nine years ago we walked some of the French Way on the Camino to the city of Santiago de Compostela. We met people from all over the world and the experience will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
At the Pilgrimage Mass in the Cathedral at Compostela, when we had completed our pilgrimage, we experienced the Botafumiero. This is a huge thurible (incense burner) measuring 1.5 metres tall and weighing 53 kilos. It is suspended from the central dome of the cathedral and swung by a series of pullies and ropes pulled by eight tiraboleiros. They swing the thurible the complete length of the transept of the cathedral. It can reach a speed of around 68km per hour and up to an angle of about 82 degrees. (It can be seen on YouTube.) The hot charcoals are visible and the fragrant smoke from the incense symbolises the prayers of the pilgrims going to up to Heaven. It is a visible sign with a spiritual meaning.
Those who pull the rope to swing the thurible have to concentrate on what they doing. They cannot literally be praying but the intention is to focus the worshippers’ prayers, together with the chant that accompanies the action. You can imagine that pilgrims are often just transfixed on this amazing bowl of fire. However, the intention is there.
I wonder if our ringing, especially on Sundays, has the same effect. We are calling people to prayer but our attention is centred, quite rightly, on our ringing. Our ringing is our prayer as our bells focus many on spiritual things, not only those coming to join the Church, but those in the community who may be working or tending the sick or going shopping. In the painting by Millet called The Angelus the peasants in the field hear the bell ringing the Angelus and stop to say this prayer. Prayer is not just for Sundays but throughout our daily lives. The part of a verse from a hymn often sung at ringers’ service comes to mind. “When’er the sweet church bell peals over hill and dell, may Jesus Christ be praised.” Amen (so be it).
Canon Malcolm Bowers