By Lubna Abdel-Aziz The ringing of 'Silver Bells' ushered the busiest and happiest time of the year for millions of Christians around the world. While the holiday season is celebrated in various ways, some Christmas traditions are universal, amongst them the ringing of the bells. From tower tops, cathedrals, domes and palaces, the rich peals of 'silver bells' sang Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to mankind at midnight on Christmas Eve. In Norway at exactly 5 o'clock on Christmas Eve, all bells in the country adhere to the popular custom of "ringe in Julen" (ringing in Christmas) announcing the commencement of the Christmas feast. One of the oldest and loudest of musical instruments, bells penetrate the soul with their rousing rhapsodies and their piercing resonance. How they jingle, how they jangle, how they tinkle, how they twinkle, as they sing and they ring, when they roll, then they toll as they chime and they strike, how they clang and they clatter, and at last they ding dong ding, as they ting'aling ling! They are solemn, gay, sullen, brassy, sonorous, jubilant, triumphant and melancholy. Like many of the musical instruments, they originated in Asia and North Arica, from 5,000 -- 4,000 BC, amongst Ancient Egyptians, Chinese and Assyrians. In their early days and in many cultures today, bells have been associated with magic and superstition. Their ringing functioned as a protective means of driving away the evil forces. As far back as 1,300 BC priests would hang tiny bells to their robes for protection from evil spirits, a custom preserved to this day in the Orthodox Eastern Church. Apart from their call for prayers ancient bells warned of the enemies' approach in times of war, accompanied funerals of emperors in Rome, and even announced the arrival of fresh fish at the marketplace in ancient Greece. With Christians, however, they assumed a fundamental symbolic role. Their use in church towers started around the 1,200s when regular tolling by priests at appointed hours became of major importance, serving as a summons to worshippers, extending to announcing births, deaths, weddings, fires, and curfews, and were the only means of telling time. The word "clock" is derived from the Dutch word "klok" meaning bell, much like the French "cloche". Sanctioned by Pope Sabinianus in 604 AD, the blessing for the bells was established. Once baptised, they could ward off evil spells, and were hung on doorways to protect hosts and visitors from evil spirits. That was probably the origin of the doorbell. Celtic tribes brought bells from Asia to Northern Europe. They first appeared in France in 550 AD, and in England 100 years later. One of the oldest bells in Britain, the Bell of St. Patrick's Will at Belfast, is believed to have belonged to St. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint. Some of the largest bells in the world were made in Russia, where they were introduced in Eastern churches in the fourth century, but used mainly in Latin rites. Their popularity spread only in the ninth century following the baptismal of Kievan Rus in 898. The Mongol invasion of the 13th century did not interfere with Christian worship in Russia, and bells continued to ring until Communism silenced them. In days of old, churches were considered heaven on earth, where sins were forgiven, salvation taught and souls sanctified. In a sense, the sound of bells spread the walls of the church as far as they could be heard. The basic process for casting bells in copper and tin has not changed for six centuries and the life of a bell is long and rich. Bells cast centuries ago are as fine today as at the time of their casting. So familiar is the shape, that bell-shape has become a descriptive expression. While sets of bells with different tones are called chimes, carillons have a larger number of bells set together, reaching 70 or more. There are bells, and then there are bells. Amongst millions, there are the Superstar bells. Heading the list is the Great Bell of Westminster, of London, the famous Big Ben. Often mistaken for a clock, Big Ben hangs in the Westminster clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. Why such an unlikely homespun name? When first installed in 1859, Sir Benjamin Hall was Commissioner of Works. Tall, large and jovial, he was fondly called Big Ben by Members of Parliament who named the bell after him. The clock, connected to the bell, was wound by hand for half a century when an electric motor was installed in 1913. How can London be London without Big Ben! The world closely watched the four lit faces of its clock as it rings in 2003. Big Ben has its competitors. Liberty Bell in Philadelphia pealed forth the signing of the Declaration of Independence, 1776. The King Bell still stands proudly in Russia since 1753 despite "the slings and arrows" of time and ideas. China's most famous bell made in 1420 still rings loud and clear in Peking. The Bells of Dolores, Mexico, began the struggle for Mexican independence in 1810. The marble Bell Tower of the Cathedral of Pisa, Italy, 1173, more renowned for its spectacular tilt, its once famous ancient bells, now silent, still remain in place. During WWII, 33,000 bells were removed and recast into war weapons. Most of them were replaced after the war, like the famous Vienna Bells of St. Stephen's Cathedral. Musicians have used bells in their compositions as far back as 1791 when Nicholas Daylarac introduced bells in his opera Camille (1791). Luigi Cherubini followed with his opera Eliza (1794). Richard Wagner, Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss wrote parts for bells in their compositions. The musical literature even boasts a concerto for bells. Filmmakers have also recognised bells' dramatic nature. The powerful impact of bells and bell towers have been used effectively in such features as The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Niagara Falls, and were useful tools in the skillful hands of Alfred Hitchcock in Vertigo and The Man Who Knew Too Much. Even the sound of bells was evoked in film titles as The Bells of St. Mary's, Miracle of the Bells, When Eight Bells Toll, Bells are Ringing, as well as Ernest Hemingway's unforgettable For Whom the Bell Tolls, a title borrowed from the British poet John Donne's famous line: Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee! Poets too have thrilled to the sound of bells. Edgar Allen Poe's The Bells, exalts in lyrical rhyme, their many functions, from the mellow tinkling of wedding bells, to the moaning and groaning muffled tones of alarming and grieving bells, as they toll the heavy sadness of the human heart. If you have never heard a bell, these rhymes are the closest you will get. Keeping time, time, time In a sort of Runic rhyme To the tintinnabulations that so mimically wells, From the bells, bells, bells, bells Bells, bells, bells As the vibrating peals of jubilant bells rang in the New Year around the globe, we are reminded of the most popular lines ever written by English poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) in his poem In Memoriam. For a short spell we can be children again in heart and mind, and despite the deluge of ill tidings we hope and pray again and again that the roll of the war drums will be drowned by the ringing and singing of Wild Bells as they cry for peace in 2003! Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace, May the bells ring in a Happy New Year for all!
