www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Serbian sanctus bells

I was chatting with Popadija last night after Pre-Sanctified. To my surprise, she said that the Serbian Orthodox use the "Sanctus" bells. It was quite a shocking revelation.

I am "cradle" Orthodox. Thus, I do not know Latin terminology. Can you please tell me about "Sanctus bells".
Thanks.

X. B!
C, I, X!

I believe they are speaking of small, hand held bells or chimes that are rang in three short bursts during the chanting (lo mass recitation) of Holy, Holy, Holy leading to and with more during the consecration. There are also some short burst ringings around communion time. The idea is to focus the gathering�s attention.

The bells are also indication of when to kneel, stand, etc.

At High Mass the sacring bell is rung thrice at each of the elevations and thrice before the Celebrant's communion. The ringing at the elevation was to alert the faithful to look up and adore Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. (The church bells may also be rung and on solemn occasions, in Latin Catholic countries, the military would fire cannons.) The ringing at the Celebrant's communion was to alert the faithful to the "consummation" of the Mass. After Holy Communion was more commonly distributed at High Mass (beginning in the 1950s) it was to alert the faithful to come to the communion rail.

At Low Mass, the sacring bell is rung thrice at the Sanctus to alert the faithful, who have all been sitting for the Offertory (before the invention of pews they would have been standing), that the Canon of the Mass is to begin and that they should kneel. It is then rung thrice at the elevations as described above. Finally, it is rung thrice at the Domine non sum dignus (as described above) to alert the faithful to come to the communion rail.

On additional note on this subject: one of the reasons for bells is that as time passed, the majority of laity did not know Latin and often assisted at Mass by private prayer or the Rosary. The bells alerted them to re-focus their attention and mentally assist the priest at certain parts of the Mass (as ourline by Byzantophile).

Yes, I've experienced "sanctus" bells at a Serbian Liturgy.
It was a while ago.
I seem to remember them being rung at the Epiklesis among other times.
They also have some wonderful melodies.

Anyone know why their Patriarch wears a band around his kamilavka?

Caveat:
Mostly if you were Irish. Most of the English Catholics (of the past) were well versed in Latin and could follow along. The Italians & Spanish can easily follow along seeing as Latin is very similar to their two languages and, before the 1910s, they would have pronounced Latin as they did their own languages. The Germans and Austrians would often have been singing hymns throughout (a.k.a. Deutsche Singmesse), and the French would have been listening to the organ play.

I ring hand held bells during Liturgy, yes, in an Orthodox Church.
When you stop and think about the issue, bells are usually used in Orthodox services. These just happen to be hand held bells, not bells in a tower tolled with a rope.

I wonder why bells are rung during the various points of the Liturgy, e.g. the Symbol of Faith and the Irmos of the Theotokos?

In the NO Mass the Sanctus bells are rung during the epiclisis at both elevations of the Host and of the Chalice and at the Communion of the priest they are also rung on Holy Thursday during the Gloria but are not used again till the Great Gloria or the Gloria at the Easter Vigil about a third of the way through during the lighting of the church they are also rung at week day Masses when there is no entrance procession and therefore no Processional hymn so they are rung to alert the faithful of the entrance of the priest to the sanctuary the faithfuls que to stand for the Start of the Mass
In Christ,
David

DAVID:

In our diocese and six others in which I have attended the NO Liturgy in (in Pa, New York, and Ohio), the hand-held bells have been discontinued altogether. This practice of no longer using the bells during Liturgy started about twenty years ago when the liturgical experts decided that if people were fully participating it was no longer necessary to call their attention to any particular parts. So I am puzzled about the very specific use of these bells that you mention. Is this a hold-over in you diocese from past practice--during the period when practices from the Extraordinary Form still carried over into the Ordinary Form we use today?

In Christ,

BOB

not all churches in our dioceses use the Sanctus bells because there was nothing in the Vatican II documents about them just like women stopped wearing the veil because there was nothing about it in the Vatican II documents but if I remember right they are still used in Papal Liturgies I think Its a beautiful tradition and many of the pre Vatican II traditions should be brought back in my opinion but back to the sanctus bells its up to the priest in our dioceses so no I wouldn't say we are holding on to any thing the use of Sanctus Bells is Valid in the NO Mass
In Christ,
David

In the Philippines, bells are no longer rung at the Sanctus, but they are universally rung during the Elevations, and sometimes at the beginning and end of Mass.

Unfortunately, this is true in some Serbian parishes. A gross Latinization at best, at worst, well, we won't even go there.....
Bells belong in a tower or on a cadilla, not little effeminate hand bells. I frequently rib the local Serbian priest about them, asking if his servers will be wearing lace dalmatics next!

Alexandr

Subdeacon Alexander,

I don't see how bells are "effeminate". In the Malankara Church - both Catholic and Orthodox, we use them often. In fact, bells are attached to our Incenser and our Liturgical Fans. Bells are hanging from the Sleebo (Cross) on the Main altar and side altars. We have different types of bells, including a larger bell rung 33 times signifying the earthly life of our Lord, we have smaller bells rung during the Epiklesis, the Consecration, whenever the Holy Spirit descends and blesses, and whenever the Holy Cross is raised.