The Bells of Germany, by Michele McAloon

To live in Germany is to live with the sound of pealing church bells. They ring regularly throughout the day and provide a backdrop of sacred sound to daily life in major metropolitan areas, large towns, and even small villages. Bells are a loud witness to lingering Christian memory that time and atheism have still not entirely erased. In the not-so-distant past, bells were used not only to keep time, but to call people to the Liturgy, to remind them of the Angelus, or to announce a funeral. They were a testament to a sacramental life that formed the backbone of European culture.

On New Year’s Eve at 11 am central European time, the bells broke their regular daily rhythm, and for close to an hour announced to German society the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Throughout the day among the sounds of fireworks from early New Year’s revelers, bells continued to toll marking the passing of one of Germany’s most preeminent and respected sons. …