DIOCESE OF CHICAGO AND MID-AMERICA: July 19, 2007
St Vladimir Church Hosts the First Anual Exhibition of Bell Ringing of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, the first annual Diocesan Bell Ringing Exposition was held at St Vladimir Parish in Ann Arbor, MI, from June 30 to July 1, 2007. Bell ringers and those interested in learning more about the Russian tradition of bell ringing began to gather from throughout the Diocese in Ann Arbor on June 29, for services on the eve of the feast of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco.

On Saturday, June 30, the participants in the exposition gathered at St Vladimir parish for the Divine Liturgy on St John's feast day. Following the Divine Liturgy, a light Lenten breakfast was provided and immediately afterwards the first bell ringing instruction began under the direction of Protodeacon Vadim Gan of Holy Protection Diocesan Cathedral in Des Plaines, IL. Fr Vadim rang the bells at Holy Trinity Monastery during his time there as a seminarian, and this experience proved to be invaluable as each of the participants tried their hand at ringing the bells and received coaching from Fr Vadim.

During the lunch period, Priest Gregory Joyce, Rector of St Vladimir Parish, gave a short presentation on the history and use of bells in Christianity and in the Russian Orthodox Church in particular. After a group discussion, each of the bell-ringing teams began to prepare themselves for the competition to be held following the Sunday Divine Liturgy by practicing various peals on the parish's set of bells.

On Sunday, July 1, the bell-ringing participants gathered to pray with the St Vladimir parish family at the Divine Liturgy. Following the Divine Liturgy, the parish's St Xenia Sisterhood offered a meal to those gathered for the competition and the bell ringing began in earnest. The first round of the competition included each of the teams executing their best peals for those in attendance. After the first round three teams were judged to be exceptional. Two of these teams were from St Sergius Cathedral in Parma, OH (those teams named the “Myrrhbearers” and the “Monks”), with the third from St Vladimir Parish (the “Holy Bell Ringers”). All three teams again rang the bells to the best of their abilities, each demonstrating mastery at this pious art. In the end, the team from St Vladimir Parish made up of Alexander Droupine, Lukas Meyer, and Herman Rinne received the first prize – a plaque that is to be displayed in the winning team's parish church or hall during the year following their victory, but to be given up to the next year's winning team in this annual competition.

Those in attendance for this activity sponsored by the Youth Committee of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America enjoyed the wonderful summer weather, making new friends and renewing old friendships, and the beautiful sounds of the Russian Church bells. Without exception all the participants look forward to next year's competition!

A Participant