The 19 bells (chimes) of St. Patrick’s Cathedral were cast by G. & F. Paccard Company of Annecy, Savoy, France with a range of nearly two octaves. They arrived in July 1897 on the steamship La Touraine and were displayed inside the Cathedral near the 5th Avenue entrance. They have a combined weight of over 29,000 lbs. and range in weight from 137 lbs. to 6,608 lbs. At the times of their installation, they were the largest set of chimes in New York City. Each bell bears an inscription written in Latin by Rev. Philip Cordella, SJ. A translation (in verse) of each was made by Michael J.A. McCafferty, LL.D. Each one indicates the donor. They were reported to have cost more than $25,000.
On August 15, 1897, they were blessed by Archbishop Michael Corrigan in an elaborate ceremony before a crowd of nearly 5,000. The Hertford Champ Company was hired to install the bells in the North Tower in February 1898 under the supervision of two European expert bell hangers. They were first rung for the Silver Jubilee of Archbishop Corrigan on May 4, 1898 playing "Hymn to St. Casmir," "Hymn to St. Joseph," and "Hymn to St. Patrick." On March 14, 1901, they were the first chimes in the world to be operated by means of a system of compressed air. The St. Patrick chime was the first rung by the new system for the rector and trustees of the cathedral as well many mecanical experts. This automated to playing of the "Angelus" throughout the day.
The bells could be rung by hand by means of tracker action from 1897 to 1952. One hundred ten foot rods connected the levers to the clappers of the bells to make them sound. Mr. Montell Toulmin played the bells regularly by hand for 44 years until he died on May 5, 1946. After that Charles Henry played them, but only very rarely.
In 1952, after a bequest from Mrs. Maren Fellowes who died on January 28, 1951, the bells were electrified and are played from a small keyboard in the Gallery. "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name" was the first song played on the bells for April 8, 1952, the Tuesday of Holy Week. They were not played again until Easter Sunday, April 13, by Dr. Charles Courboin.
Cives • et • advenae Dociles • lubentes Audite • et • ab • alienis • dignoscite Fidissiraos • amicos • vestros Vobis • a • numine • de • coelo • missos Morum • religionis • felicitatis Veraces • praecones |
O Citizens, O Strangers, Hear I Lend willing heart no less than willing ear! From false discern the true, The faithful friends God-sent from heaven to you; Trusty heralds we Of true religion, morals, and felicity. |
Name | Tone | Weight (lbs.) |
Inscription/ Translation |
---|---|---|---|
St. Patrick | Bb | 6,608 | Vester • Patritius • ego • Sicut • patres • vestri • ita • et • vos • Manete • usque • Mei • imitatores • aemulatores • —Ex stipe collata a parochianis Ecclesiae Cathedralis. Your Patrick I; As your sires, so also ye Ever be Emulators, imitators of me. —From the Cathedral Parishioners. |
Blessed Virgin | C | 4,625.5 | Ave • Maria • Mater • Dei • Domina • nostra • Suspiciant • te • beatamque • dicant • Omnes • gentes • tribus • et • linguae —Sumptibus Joannis B. Manning. Hail Mary, Mother of God, Our Lady blest! With glad acclaim Let all the nations, tribes, and tongues attest That ever blest shall be thy name. —Gift of John B. Manning. |
St. Joseph | D | 3,260 | Josepbus • Nazarcthanae • familiae • caput • Universalis • ecclesiae • familiae • Christi Rite • dictus • patronus Prae • omnibus • coelicolis • post • ejus • virginem • sponsam • Honoribus • cumulandus —Munificentia Josephs J. O’Donohue Joseph, Once head of that most humble home And Holy Family of Nazareth, Now, gloriously become The Patron of the household of the faith, By holy Church, in grateful homage named, By holy Church, with reverent rite proclaimed; To thee be shown Not earth’s alone But heaven’s highest honors next to Mary’s own. —Gift of Joseph J. O’Donohue. |
Holy Name | Eb | 2,693 | Jesus • mihx • nomen • Qvod • est • super • omne • nomen • Et • non • est • in • alio • aliquo • salus • —Sodales Sanetissimi Nominis Totins Civitatis. Jesus, my Holy Name, All other names above; Whose saving power and love —The Sodalists of the Holy Name throughout the city. |
St. Michael | E | 2,319 | Michael • Princeps •militiae • coelestis • Cum . coeteris • animabus • Quibus • Dei • nutv • praees • Perdue • in • paradisum • exultationis —Sumptibus Michaelis S. Coleman Michael, Prince of all the hosts of heaven, Among the souls whom God to thee has given To guide and guard, Be also ours within thy watch and ward; And when this earthly life is past Conduct us all to heavenly joys at last. —Gift of Michael S. Coleman. |
St. Anne | F | 1,956 | Anna • vocor • Mea • filia • est • Dei • genitrix • virgo • Maria • Mater • vestra • tenerrima —Pecuniis Henrici McAleenan. The holy Anna’s name bear I, Whose lowly child Is Mary mild, The Virgin Mother of the Lord most high: With purest mother-love will she Love you most tenderly. —Gift of Henry McAleenan. |
St. Elizabeth | G | 1,357 | Elizabeth • Dignissima • mater • Joannis • Clamantis • adhuc • Omnis • arbor • Quae • non • facit • fructum • bonum • In • ignem • mittetur —Dono dedit Marchionissa San Marsano. Elizabeth, Most worthy mother of the Baptist John, Who calls, across the centuries gone, To these our days, with warning tone: “The tree that good fruit does not bear Shall into flames consuming fare.” —Gift of the Marquise San Marsano. |
St. Augustine | Ab | 1,162.7 | Quicumque • a • veritate • extorres • estis • Augustinum • Hipponensem • Praeclarissimum • ingenium • Gratiae • Christi • miraculum • Admiramini • imitamini —Ex dono Augustini Daly. Ye who wander far astray In error's way, With great Augustine all your steps retrace Whose glorious soul, regenerate, Shone forth, a marvel of Christ's saving grace; —Gift of Augustine Daly. |
St. Anthony of Padua | A | 971.13 | Antonius • a • Padua • Eximie • carus • Deo • et • hominibus • Quis • te • non • invocat • Quis • te • non • diligit • —In memoriam mariti carissimi Eduardi Fox, Lydia vidua inconsolabilis. Anthony of Padua Who shall tell How loved thou wert, on earth, of God and men? And shall not now, as then, Thy name be on men's lips and in their hearts as well? —In memory of her beloved hisband, Edward Fox, by his disconsolate widow, Lydia. |
St. Agnes | Bb | 802 | Ego • Agnes • adolescentula • Agnum • magna • cura • enutrivi • Ex • cujus • vcllere • pallium • ipsa • contexui • Pro • archiep • Neo-Ebor • Michaele Augustino • Catholicae • institutionis • adolescentium • Adsertore • propugnatore • vindice —In mcmoriam filii Jacobi Eduardi Lydia Fox, mater. I, little Agnes, come From far-off Rome; There mine the pleasant care A chosen snow-white lamb to tend, That was one day its fleece to lend To make the pallium spotless fair For Michael Augustine, Your loved Archbishop of New York, to wear; Of Catholic education champion bold, And watchful shepherd he Of all your children—lambkins of his fold— To guard their tender youth in Faith and piety. —In memory of James Edward Fox by Lydia, his mother. |
St. John the Evangelist | B | 667.7 | Johannes • Qui • super • pectus • Domini • Jesu • Recubuisti • Investigabiles • divitias • cordis • ejus • Omnibus • Neo • Eboracensibus • Omnibus • Americanis • Volens • lubens • Resera • pande —Ex dono Johannis D. Crimmins. Beloved Apostle John, Thou who, upon His breast reclining, Didst hear the very heart-throbs of the Lord; O teach, with sweet, persuasive word, To all within our city’s crowded mart, Ay, and to all throughout our dear-loved land, What treasures—all for them at their demand— His Sacred Heart Is longingly enshrining. —Gift of John D. Crimmins. |
St. Bridget | C | 574 | Me • Brigidam • Hibernam • Nemo • despiciat • Coelo • recepta • Principem • inter • Hibernas • virgines • Locum • teneo • Beati • mundo • corde • Nil • apud • superos • Castitate • carius • nil • pulchrius —Dederunt Perry J. Miniter et Catharina uxor in memoriam dilectissimae filiae Aloysiae. Stint not the honor due to Bridget’s name,— Bridget of Ireland’s pure and saintly fame; High throned in heaven, To her first place is given Of all the virgins of her holy Isle: Blessed are the clean of heart without defile: In sight of heaven naught can vie With spotless chastity. —Gift of Perry J. Miniter and Catherine, his wife, in memory of their daughter, Aloysia. |
St. Francis Xavier | C# | 476.3 | Sancte • Francisce • Xaveri • Indiarum • apostole • Coetus • catolicorum • Neo-Eboracensium • In • cujus • aedibus • ortum • habuit • Sub • cujus • tutela • adolevit • Grandior • factus • Tuam • coelestem • opem • implorat • Ut • Ad • majorem • Dei • et . Eccl • Cathol • Gloriam • Maxima • quaeque • perficiat —Ehrgittonibus Coetus Catholicorum Neo-Eboracensium. In Xavier's parish formed, by Xavier’s name first known, And now by Xavier’s fostering favor grown In years and strength and prosperous estate,— The Catholic Club in nothing shall abate Its loyalty to thee, its heavenly advocate, Saint Francis Xavier: O be thou yet our patron; pray That—day by day— With growing power the loftier purpose grow And zeal like thine,—the burning zeal That kindled farthest Ind to fervid glow,— To dare and do what deeds shall noblest show For God’s high glory and His Church’s weal. —Presented by the Catholic Club. |
St. Peter | D | 401.5 | Tu • es • Petrus • Et • super • hanc • petram • Aedificata • est • ecclesia • Christi • Adversus • quam • Portae • inferi • non • praevalebunt —Pecunia Georgii B. Coleman. Thou art Peter Firm-built on Peter’s rock. The Church of Christ withstands the shock Of all the powers of hell that may assail: They never shall prevail —Gift of George B. Coleman. |
St. Cecilia | Eb | 345 | Caecilia • Valerianum • sponsum • Christo • vero • animarum • sponso • adjungens • Omnibus • Catholicis • conjugibus • Exemplar • esto —Suppetiit nummos uxor Thomae F. Ryan. Cecilia, From unbelief and sin Thy spouse Valerian thou didst nobly win To glorious spousal of his soul to Christ the Lord: With one accord, Let all good spouses see A bright exemplar for themselves in thee. —Presented by Mrs. Thomas F. Ryan. |
St. Helena | E | 286 | Helena • imperatrix • sis • benedicta • Numinis • afflatu • ducta • Tu • nobis • crucem • In • qua - est • salus • vita • et • resurrectio • nostra • Thcsaurum • prae • omnibus • divitem • Reddidisti —Sumptibus Eleonorae Keyes. Empress Helena, Forever blest be thou, most favored one, Who, by a heavenly inspiration led, Didst find for us the cross Christ died upon; Cross, with the blood of our redemption red— Our hope of life when other hope was none— Pledge of our glorious rising from the dead— The sign and promise of salvation won. —Gift of Eleonora Keyes. |
St. Alphonsus Liguori | F | 240.9 | Alphonsus • Maria • Liguorius • Doctor • ecclesiae • Pater • et • legifer • Congregat • a • Sanctiss • Redempt • Doctrina • ad • sanos • hominum • mores • efformandos • Pietate • in • virginem • matrem • Amore • in • Christum • Deum • Sub • eucharlsticis • speciebus • absconditum • Ad • exemplum • conspicuus —Pia oblatione Mariae A. Mills. Alphonsus Maria Liguori, Doctor of the Church, and founder famed Of the congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer named, Whose rule and discipline by thee were framed: Thy teaching leading men to virtue’s ways,— Thy zeal for Mother Mary’s praise,— Thy faith and love that bent unbidden In adoration of the God-Man hidden ‘Neath simple eucharistic veil;— May these thy virtues as example never fail! —Gift of Maria A. Mills. |
St. Thomas Aquinas | F# | 204 | Thomas • Aquinas • doctor • Angelicus • Philosophorum • et • theologorum • princeps • A • sapientissimo • Leone • XIII • Pont • Max • Jure • ac • merito • Catholicis • omnibus • scholis • Veritatis • magister • coelestis • patronus • Datus • Exemplaria • sua • Nocturna • diurnaque • manu • vcrsanda • Sapientibus • et • insipientibus • Praebeat —Munere Thomae Kelly. Thomas Aquinas, Angel of the schools, Prince of philosophy and sacred lore, Where scholars throng or wisdom hives her store, Where truth is sought or love of learning rules, Thee, patron of the school, great Leo aptly names, Thee, master of the truth, his voice of truth proclaims. O Master, may the simple and the sage Alike well know, That simple will grow wise and wise will wiser grow, Who con with loving care thy lucid page. —Gift of Thomas Kelly. |
St. Godfrey | G | 173 | Godefridus • episcopus • Natione • Gallus • A • puero • usque • ad • vitae • exitum • Omnium • virtutum • Popularibus • et • extraneis • Mirum • exemplar —In carorum parentum Johannis et Mariae Koop memoriam, filii filiaeque Godefridus, Eugenius, Coelestia, Amelia. Godfrey, The saintliest graces of the bishop—blent With all thy native France’s patriot fire And generous chivalry; These traits in thee, Crowning a life-time in God’s service spent, Thy countrymen and all the world admire. —In memory of their beloved parents, John and Mary Koop, by their children, Godfrey, Eugene, Celeste, and Amelie. |
Sources: Catholic News, July 18, 1897, August 8, 1897, August 22, 1897; New York Times, July 13, 1897, August 16, 1897, August 22, 1897, May 1, 1898, and May 5, 1898; The History of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, John M. Farley, 1908.