Vertical Divider

The Bells of the Cathedral

September 25, 2020
The Bells of the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Hartford, Connecticut

We are pleased to announce that the bells of the Cathedral are back to operating at full capacity. This was made possible thanks to the generosity of Mary Frances DeLucco in honor of her loving sister, Frances Annette DeLucco that passed away on March 9, 2015, both daughters of Hartford’s first elected Italian-American Mayor, the late Dominick J. DeLucco.  After twenty five years of silence, the twelve bells from the time of the dedication of the Cathedral along with two new bells are playing melodies, the Angelus, peals and tolls.
In 1960 a group of enthusiastic parishioners, who wanted to contribute with something very special for the new Cathedral of Saint Joseph, donated funds for the purchase of 12 cast bronze bells. The lightest, over a foot in diameter, weighs 225 pounds. The heaviest, four and a half feet in diameter, weighs 3,850 pounds.
After the tragic fire of the cathedral (1956) pieces of the bells from the old cathedral were collected and sent to Holland where the new bells were cast by the Aarel-Rixtel Company.  The installation was performed by The Verdin Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Verdin Company came back at the beginning of September this year to install the two new bells, restored the original ones and installed a computer system that will command the fourteen bells from the choir loft. Inscriptions on the twelve original bells:

No.	Note	Inscription
1	D	Saint Mary Inscribed: Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Hartford, Connecticut Most Rev. Henry J. O’Brien, Archbishop  Rt. Rev. John S. Kennedy, Rector
2	E	Saint Joseph Inscribed: In Memoriam Monsignor William J. Collins Rector 1946-1959
3	F#	Saint Peter
4	G	Saint Henry
5	G#	Saint Maurice
6	A	Saint John
7	B	Saint Michael
8	C	Saint Lawrence
9	C#	Saint Francis
10	d	Saint Thomas
11	e	Saint Bernard
12	f#	Saint William

New Bells	Note	Inscription
13	G	Saint Daniel
14	A	Saint Leonard

Bells are named for former Bishops and then Archbishop of Hartford.