Church bells
toll in Brooklyn
BY AIDAN GRAHAM
Church bells across the borough
will ring out every afternoon
during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak
as part of the new “Bells of
Hope” initiative from the Brooklyn
Diocese, Bishop Nicholas Di-
Marzio announced on April 2.
“As our city, and especially our
boroughs, remain the epicenter of
this Coronavirus pandemic, each
day we will ask Almighty God to
bring an end to this illness which
has caused great pain and suffering
for many people,” said DiMarzio.
“The ringing of the church
bells will inspire us as New Yorkers
and citizens of the world, of all
faiths, the strongest of believers
and the nonbelievers, to unite in
prayer against this virus.”
Beginning on April 3, churches
COURIER L 4 IFE, APRIL 10-16, 2020
in Brooklyn and Queens will chime
at 3 pm daily — a time that corresponds
with the hour in Catholic
literature that Jesus Christ died
on the cross.
“The Resurrection of Jesus
Christ is the greatest instance of
love and hope in the history of the
world,” said DiMarzio. “We may or
may not know for whom these bells
will toll, however, we will pause
to honor those who are suffering,
who have died, and give thanks to
God for those putting their lives at
risk for others.”
The 185 operating churches
in Brooklyn and Queens were all
closed on March 20 out of precautionary
measures to combat the
novel virus, leaving 1.5 million
Catholics without church service
for the near future.