Published: 18 July, 2007, 23:32
Edited: 18 July, 2007, 23:32
The church bells of Russian St. Daniel's monastery ended up at Harvard University in early Soviet times, but now under a special agreement they are being returned to Russia in exchange for some replicas.
After two months in the making at a Russian foundry in Voronezh, the replicas are being prepared for their voyage to the U.S. A master bell-maker Vyacheslav Serkov says he will be sad to see them go. Being involved in the project, he says, has been pleasurable yet demanding.
“The hardest part was to make the bells in the same spirit as the originals. I felt a high responsibility to get it right because this is the whole country's project, not just the foundry's. We tried to do our best and now you can see the results,” he noted.
When the U.S. receives the copies, the originals will see their homecoming after 80 years in exile.
“I think the bells mean a lot more to the monastery than they do to us. We've had them for 70 years and the monastery had them for centuries before that. We love them and they've wonderful but they don't have the same spiritual meaning. So, we're reconciled to having our new bells,” said Sean Buffington, Harvard University.
But how did the ancient Russian bells end up in America in the 1930s?
“This was a revolution period. To save these bells from being destroyed by Stalin they were sold to an American diplomat for the price of scrap metal,” explained Mr Serkov.
The Voronezh craftsmen say recently Christianity has witnessed a revival. Bells are “singing” icons in Russia, but when most were removed in the 30's the Russian Orthodox Church had its voice silenced. Now, as the foundry bids farewell to its bells, it says when the old bells return, Russia will be singing to a new tune.