Probably, so many legends have not been created about anything in the world as about bells. They gathered people for prayer, were heralds of misfortune and joy, announced the beginning of a new era. The bell ringing contains an unknown force that can change a person's life.
Ringing for gods and spirits
The unusual properties of bells were noticed by people in ancient times. Initially, their shape was not at all the same as it is now. They were made of copper or bronze plates, which were fastened together and resembled an oblong box with a beater inside.
In ancient China, at first, tiny bells appeared, which were used in magic rituals. It was believed that their gentle voices are liked by the kind inhabitants of the subtle world, and therefore, having enjoyed them, the spirits will certainly fulfill the request of a person. In addition, the first bells also served as amulets, because, according to legend, dark entities could not stand their ringing.
In ancient Egypt, bells played an important role during the holidays dedicated to Osiris, the master of the world of the dead.
The Greeks considered the ringing of bells a fitting gift to the gods. So, the oak grove that surrounded the oracle of Dodona in Epirus was all hung with them, so that the ringing of bells would delight the ears of the gods and they would not skimp on gifts to people.
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In Rome, bronze bells adorned the chariots of the triumphant, and were also used in sacrifices to the gods.
Flower hint
Only in the 5th century did the bells of the already familiar shape first appear on the belfries of temples.
And how this happened for the first time, the following legend tells.
Once, in a dream, the bishop of the city of Nola (Italy), Saint Peacock, saw an angel of God holding in his hands a bouquet of flowers that uttered a wondrous ringing.
Looking closely at the flowers, the saint was surprised to recognize them as ordinary field bells. Fascinated by the wonderful sound, which Peacock could not forget even when he woke up, the bishop immediately ordered a huge flower to be cast from copper and hung in the city church, so that his ringing summoned the faithful to prayer.
Fortuneteller and helper in love
Soon bells began to ring in all Christian countries. Even the poorest parish tried to acquire bells of different sizes for harmonious melodic ringing. And in their manufacture, tin and silver were now added to copper, which made the voices of the bells more sonorous.
People have always treated bells with trepidation, because it is not for nothing that many legends have survived that tell about their unusual power. For example, in Krakow there is a legend about the Sigismund (Sigmund) bell, which still hangs on the main belfry of the city and is one of the national symbols of Poland.
This brazen handsome man, cast from trophy cannons at the beginning of the 16th century, is considered a faithful assistant to girls in love affairs and during its long history has helped more than one young charming woman find female happiness.
To enlist his help, you just need to climb the belfry and sincerely tell the ancient giant (the weight of the bell reaches 12,600 kilograms) about the heartache, and then hug the bell's tongue.
In addition, bells are known to warn of danger. So the inhabitants of York (England) and Erfurt (Germany) have been listening attentively to the ringing of "Great Peter" and "Mary Gloriosa" for several centuries, because when their voices become deaf and menacing, it means the approach of an epidemic, war or the death of the ruler.
"Tsarsky" evangelism
On the Russian land, bells sounded for the first time only at the beginning of the 11th century, but almost immediately won the love of the people.
For a long time people believed that the bells were alive, as they were able to disperse the devil's forces, bestow health and … expose the villain.
It was believed that even a very expensive bell, donated to the temple by a man with an unkind heart, has a deaf and rude voice, and sometimes “grows dumb” - and not a single bell ringer, even the most skillful one, will make a single sound from it.
I must say that the bells were responsible for their "misdeeds" according to the law, like living people. Cast handsome men were executed - they tore their tongues, whipped them with whips and exiled to Siberia. An example of this is the Uglich bell.
This alarm bell was executed by cutting off the ear and exiled to Siberian Tobolsk for having notified the inhabitants of Uglich in 1591 about the death of Tsarevich Dmitry, which caused popular unrest. The bell was in exile for almost 300 years, after which it returned to its hometown.
But nevertheless, this is, rather, an exception to the rule, since in Russia they were very fond of bell ringing. Ivan the Terrible, together with his sons Ivan and Fyodor, went up to the belfry at four o'clock every morning to announce the Matins, and his entourage, who shied away from the honorary right to accompany the ruler and princes to the bell tower, was put under arrest for eight days.
Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich could listen to the bells for hours and was able to replace any of the most skilled bell ringer. He often said that if he had not been born a tsar's son, he would have gone to serve as a sexton.
The famous military leader Alexander Suvorov also admired the bells. During his exile in the village of Konchanskoye, Alexander Vasilyevich regularly climbed the bell tower in order to inform the peasants about the beginning of the church service.
It was in Russia that a special kind of evangelism was born, which begins with three single blows of a large bell. It is believed that, having heard the first blow of the belfry, the evil spirits freeze, the second tries to run away, and with the third falls into hell.
By the 18th century, our ancestors began to use bell ringing in everyday life as a talisman. It was then that they began to hang small bells around the necks of livestock in order to protect them from the intrigues of the unclean. On the way, the coachmen were kept from any misfortune by loud bells under an arc. A wedding train 100 years ago was completely decorated with small bells, because their ringing protected the young from damage and the evil eye.
Giver of healing
Back in the Middle Ages, the healing power of the bell ringing was noted. During the plague epidemics, all belfries of European cities "revived", as people believed that the voices of bells expel disease and purify the polluted air.
In Russia water, which was washed by the tongue of the bell, was considered the best medicine for deafness and dumbness. For a long time, the voices of bells healed the possessed. The patient was specially brought to the belfry, where they placed a large bell under the tongue. After that, the bell ringer began to ring small bells, which helped to achieve the desired effect.
Even 100 years ago, a plaque removed from bells was used as a cure for all skin diseases, since an ointment made from it could cope even with such a serious ailment as ringworm.
Under the Easter bells, the girls hurried to wash themselves with spring water in order to preserve their youth, health and beauty for a longer time.
I must say that today the secrets of the healing power of the bell ringing have been revealed. Esotericists believe that when the bell is struck, its inner space is filled with positive energy, which has a beneficial effect on a person. In addition, the sounds of cast handsome men restore the human biofield and increase its energy potential.
Also, live voices of belfries “sterilize” the space, and therefore it would be nice in those houses where people often quarrel, turn on audio recordings with bell ringing or hang the so-called wind chime, which is recommended by the Taoist practice of symbolic organization of space feng shui.
Today even some doctors recommend that their patients suffering from nervous disorders and cardiovascular diseases listen to the bell ringing regularly. It helps as an additional remedy in the treatment of neuroses and to get rid of insomnia.
Elena LYAKINA, magazine "Secrets of the XX century"