The sound of bells is not only a religious call, but the heartbeat of a territory. In this insight we explore the historical background and traditions associated with the bells of Settefrati, symbols of faith and custodians of a thousand-year-old memory.
The Origins: From Campania to the Benedictine Monks
Some scholars claim that the name “campana” originates from the region Campania, where it was built in the early days of Christianity. According to a legend dear to tradition, the bell with internal clapper is an Italian invention, introduced by St Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, in the fifth century AD.
However, it was the Benedictine monks, around the eighth and ninth centuries, to spread the use of bronze bells in many Christian churches. Initially, the bells were cast “on site” by the monks themselves; later, the art passed on to families of bell founders who handed down the craft from father to son. Prominent among them was the famous family Marinelli of Agnone, who came to our country at the beginning of the 20th century to cast the bells of Settefrati.
Valley Primates: The Oldest Bells
The Comino Valley holds specimens of immense historical value:
- The oldest bell in the Comino Valley: It is located in Settefrati, in the Church of Santa Maria della Tribuna al Colle. It bears the date of 1323.
- The second for antiquity: It is located in the Church of San Giovanni di Alvito and dates back to 1355.
Uses and Customs: Sound between Faith and Tradition
Today, the ringing of bells is mainly linked to church liturgy to summon the faithful. However, historically, their use is divided into occasional, periodic and daily.
The Bell and Occasional Rites
The most solemn occasional use occurs during funerals. When the body is taken to the church and the cemetery, the big bell, with its solitary power, arouses a profound feeling of sadness in the entire community.
La Voce contro il Maltempo: Suonare a Distesa
At one time, between late spring and early summer, bells also had a “protective” function. When the sky thickened with black clouds, harbingers of hail and thunderstorms, the farmers helped to tolling the bell of the Tribune. It was hoped that the sound vibrations would break up the clouds, driving them away and thus saving the precious harvests.
The Month of the Dead and the Magic of Dawn
On the night of 1 to 2 November, just before dawn, the bell of the Our Lady of Grace drew the faithful for the Mass in suffrage of the Dead. This rite took place in the ancient church-sacrarium, in whose vaults rest thousands of Sephardic people from every era. The moment of the elevation of the host coincided with the first light of dawn: a magical rite suspended between resurrection and eternity.
Childhood Memories: From Novenas to Good Friday
The ringing of bells marked the moments of youth:
- The Novenas: The bell of Santa Felicita surprised the boys on the threshing floor, among the piles of chaff left by the threshing machines.
- The Silence of Good Friday: During the Passion of Christ, the bells remained silent as a sign of mourning. To summon the faithful, children ran at breakneck speed through the alleys ringing the “tree frog” and the “clapper” (a wooden board with iron handles), producing a dull noise that mingled with shouts of joy.
Il Tempo Quotidiano e il Legame con la Battaglia di Lepanto
L’uso giornaliero risale al Medioevo per scandire preghiera e lavoro. Ma il suono di mezzogiorno ha una radice storica specifica legata a San Pio V.
The 7 ottobre 1571, la flotta cristiana guidata da Don Giovanni d’Austria e Marcantonio Colonna sconfisse i turchi a Lepanto. In ricordo di quella vittoria, che Papa Pio V ebbe in visione mentre recitava il rosario, il Pontefice dispose che ogni chiesa suonasse le campane al mattino, a mezzogiorno e alla sera. Stabilì inoltre che il 7 ottobre diventasse il giorno consacrato a Santa Maria delle Vittorie.