Sanctuary Bell Holding

18/10/08

In Churches where the Sanctuary Bells are rung, does the person ringing have one hand over his/her chest while he/she rings it or do they have their arm by their side?

Thanks in advance

Mike Parsons
(St Luke's Kettering chapter)

REPLIES

The Warden - 18/10/08

More seemly for the server to have his left hand flat on his chest as does the thurifer when holding the thurifer in his right hand....to have the left hand by his left side looks casual.

The Warden

Craig Aburn - 19/10/08

The former.

Craig Aburn
Guild MC

Martin Jackson - 19/10/08

Good Morning Mike,

At St Mary the Virgin, Higham Ferrers, the server at low Mass or the MC at high Mass holds the bell in their right hand with the left hand crossed over their chest.
That same position happens whenever a server holds something.With the exception when holding acolytes, using both hands.
At all other times a server should clasp their straightened hands together with their thumbs forming a cross, high on their chest.
I hope that helps.

Regards

Martin Jackson

Peter Graham - 19/10/08

Friends

Ringing the bell is inevitably an obvious event in the liturgy, but you do not want the server to distract the faithful in any other way. It is therefore important that their hands do not flap about so when I trained younger servers I used to tell them to put their hands on their chest. Provided these thing do not distract the faithful from their worship, it does not matter what the server does.

Perhaps in these days when we are literate and Mass is celebrated in English we do not need bells to be rung at all quiet is good!

Yours

Peter Graham

John - 19/10/08

I was always taught to ring with one hand and elevate the hem of the chasuble with the other (except if the celebration was a High Mass). Nowadays I would go for breast rather than dangling.

Best wishes,

John.

Robert Tucker - 20/10/08

Dear Inquirer,
I would ask does it matter! In my church the bell is on the floor and is struck with a thing like a drum stick., the church bell is also rung and the ringer has to stand to reach the rope.

Robert Tucker, Sacristan Saint Mary Magdalen Chapelfields Coventry