Church Furnishings
Bells
Altar bells, wall bells and gongs that call the faithful to attention at the most sacred moments of the Mass.
About this collection
About Bells
Bells mark the Consecration and other moments of the Mass, and a sacristy bell announces the priest as he enters the sanctuary. This collection includes Sanctus hand bells with one, three or four bells, covered communion bells in a brass enclosure turned by a handle, solid bronze Sanctus bells, wall-mounted sacristy bells (single or triple, with a spring return or pull cords), a bronze bell, and polished brass gongs with a mallet in table and 48-inch standing models.
Choosing a bell
Consider the size of the church and where the server kneels. A set of several bells or a gong carries farther in a large nave, while a single small bell suits a chapel. Bells of different sizes give a fuller ring. For the sacristy door, a wall bell with a cord or spring return is simple to use.
Listed prices currently run from about $120 to $2,555. Call or request a quote with any questions. Freight is billed separately. To finish the altar, see our missal stands and altar cards.
Bells
In the Sacred Liturgy
Bells have long been rung in Catholic worship to call the faithful to prayer and to mark the most sacred moments of the liturgy. Inside the church, the small bell rung by the altar server is often called a sanctus bell, because it is traditionally rung at the Sanctus, the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy."
The bell is rung most solemnly at the consecration, when the priest elevates the consecrated Host and then the chalice. Its sound draws every heart to Christ, now truly present on the altar. Some parishes use a hand bell, often a cluster of small bells on one handle that ring together. Others use a gong struck with a mallet, or a bell mounted on the wall by the sacristy door, rung as the priest and servers enter for Mass.
Altar bells are usually cast in bronze or brass for a clear, carrying tone, and are often finished with decorative handles and engraving.
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