A sound that will echo through the years and call generations of the faithful to prayer is becoming part of the history of the future Church of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe in Guatemala.

On September 2, the new bells destined for the church were unveiled during a celebration held at the Academia Nossa Senhora da Reconquista. (Our Lady of the Reconquest Academy)

The Holy Mass, presided over by Fr. Rodrigo Solera, brought together about 30 guests, including some of the benefactors who contributed to the project.

As a memento and token of gratitude for their participation in this story, the families received small bells personalized with their family name and a religious invocation.

A tradition dating back to 1796

The bells that will be installed in the tower were produced by Fonderie Paccard, a historic French foundry specializing in the manufacture of bronze bells and carillons.

Founded in 1796 by Antoine Paccard, the company was established in Quintal, in the French region of Haute-Savoie, and later moved to Sevrier, on the shores of Lake Annecy.

For more than two centuries, the Paccard family has carried on a craft that combines bronze casting with the acoustic precision needed to give each bell its own unique voice. The company has become internationally renowned for manufacturing bells and carillons for churches and other monuments.

Discover Fonderie Paccard

The Bells Are Hoisted into the Tower

On September 3, one day after the meeting with the benefactors, the process of hoisting the bells into the tower of the future Church of Jesus Christ the King of the Universe began.

Once permanently installed in the belfry, they will become part not only of the new church’s architecture but also of its daily life.

The first joint ringing of the bells, in the form of a carillon, is scheduled to take place during a ceremony attended by the Apostolic Nuncio, symbolically marking a new stage in the church’s construction.

For centuries, the sound of bells has accompanied the lives of Christian communities, calling the faithful to Mass and prayer and marking important moments in religious life. At the future Church of Jesus Christ the King of the Universe, this ancient tradition will now take on a new voice.

Photo Credit: Roberto Salas

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