Roggenzell celebrates the consecration of the bells: A new chapter for St. Gallus!

Roggenzell celebrates the consecration of the bells: A new chapter for St. Gallus!

The Roggenzell parish has embarked on an exciting journey: the purchase of a new bell for the Church of St. Gallus is in full swing. A routine inspection revealed that the old bells were showing signs of age and the bell tower from 1703 was in need of renovation. Roman Schmid, the bell expert for the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, characterized the church's bells as a unique, historical baroque bell with roots that go back to 1614.

Throughout history, many of the original bells were lost during the world wars, however four of the original five bells returned to Roggenzell. The project for the new bell was launched four years ago, albeit with some resistance. The project is financed entirely through donations, with the parish needing around 45,000 euros. So far, around half of this amount has been collected.

The new bell and its consecration

The new bell weighs 160 kilograms and was cast by the Perner company in Passau. It will take over the daily ringing of the church, while the other bells will continue to ring for church services and holidays. To enable installation, the belfry had to be partially restored as rot was discovered.

The consecration of the new bell took place as part of a celebratory service. This bell is dedicated to the community's son, Faustinus Mennel, who founded the Franciscan monastery in Bonlanden. The inscription that adorns the bell comes from the Gospel of Mark and calls: “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

Parallel to the events in Roggenzell, the Aalen Catholics also have reason to be happy. A new bell has arrived for the Catholic Holy Cross Church in Hüttfeld. This was donated by the Diessner family and transported by the Aalen-based shipping company Brucker. The bell will be consecrated in a solemn service on Sunday, July 10th at 10:30 a.m. and will complement the church's existing quartet of bells, with the other three bells coming from the former Protestant St. Mark's Church.

Key details of the Aalen Bell

The new bell in Aalen weighs 569 kilograms and has a diameter of 96.7 centimeters, making it the largest of the four bells. Helmut Erhardt, the parish's construction expert, has already described the bell as having an outstanding sound. It is also decorated with a relief of the cross and a text from the first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 13.

The last consecration of bells in Aalen was 72 years ago and took place in the Salvatorkirche. To support the project, donations are being requested for the belfry and electrical equipment, with account information provided.

Both in Roggenzell and in Aalen it is clear how vibrant the church traditions and communities are and how they come together even in difficult times through initiatives like these.