The Archdiocese of Boston will join the Archdiocese of New York, and others around the country, in ringing their church bells on Wednesday, December 30 at 12 noon to remember and honor the more than 330,000 lives lost to COVID-19 this year in the United States. Our Collaborative will join in this effort by live streaming the ringing of bells from St. John Church. We invite everyone to take a moment at noon, whether in person or via the live stream here on our website, to listen and participate with us. (Unfortunately, the bells at St. Paul Church cannot be rung until repairs have been completed.)
Watch Live at 12:00pm!
Our friends at the Archdiocese of New York, which is encouraging dioceses to participate in this effort, acknowledged the following,
“Our country has not witnessed a daily death toll on this scale in its recent history and, as the year draws to a close, there is a pronounced need to publicly acknowledge the devastating loss of life that the year brought with it. The Church is uniquely called to bring communities together to honor the dead and to offer a space for mourning, in order that the restoration that is sure to follow, in the Name of Christ, whom we honor this Christmas, may too begin.”
Traditionally, the ringing of church bells has been a call to prayer or a signal to the community that a moment of solemnity and significance is taking place. Most often these are occasions of prayer, funerals, or weddings. Historically, the bells have also marked moments of both loss and triumph in the wider culture. On Wednesday at 12pm, the bells will toll to mourn the lives lost, to comfort the families and friends who grieve, and to move forward, together, in the hope of the blessings that await us in 2021.