Secure Online Shopping

The Patriarchate of Moscow, with the cooperation of the Moscow Bell Center and Pyatkov & Co., has issued a standard Typikon for Church Bell Ringing which is intended to serve as a basis for the ongoing resurrection of the Orthodox bell tradition in Russia: Ustav Tserkovnogo Zvona (L.P. No. 05181; Izdatel'skii Sovet Russkoi Pravoslavnoi Tserkvi: Moskva, 2002); in Russian, 80 pp.

This 80-page booklet distills Russia's local and universal bell traditions and is absolutely indispensible, especially in America where we have almost no other guidance.

It sets forth basic principles and rules for all occasions during the church year, contains wise instruction on safety and on the care of bells, a service of consecration of a bell, and a list of over 150 titles of books and other materials of interest to the serious student of this aspect of the Orthodox liturgical tradition.

This is an interim publication, and is expected to be revised within a couple of years in a definitive edition. We are providing, in piecemeal fashion, an English translation free of charge, but if you want the original Russian version, you can order it here.

We've recently obtained a small collection of genuine Byzantine (or earlier) bells and are offering them to you at a price designed to move!

These beauties are 1300 to 2000 years old, probably dating from the 6th-7th century. They were found in the Balkans, and are among the finest specimens you'll ever run across. All have been carefully cleaned and professionally curated. They retain their original patina and are obviously, unquestionably ancient.

We unconditionally guarantee their authenticity— and it's something you can tell just from their patina. We could, of course, obtain and pass on to you a certificate of authenticity but we feel that’s pretty silly— for if someone were in the business of faking antiquities, they could certainly fake certificates as well! But if for some reason you're not satisfied, or can show us that our dealer is mistaken— just return your purchase and we'll give you a full refund.

Lovely to hold in your hand, and even more lovely for their connection with the fabled past of Byzantium, Rome, and the Balkans, they make an exquisite collection, and we hate to part with them. Just imagine receiving one of these gems for Christmas!

A great gift idea for your favorite Byzantine history buff, or for motivating donors to contribute to your parish bell fund! —Whoa now, there's an idea!

Price: $200 each. Order now, as we only have 14 of them, and they haven't made any more of these for a long, long time!

Read more here.