As a protest against the war in Ukraine, the bells of churches and cathedrals are to ring at 12 noon throughout Europe on Thursday. The European Association of Dombaumeister and Bauhüttenmeister had called for this in view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Europe is on fire,” says the appeal. For every day that the war in Ukraine has lasted so far, the bells should ring for a total of seven minutes.
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“By ringing the bell, we declare our solidarity with the people who are enduring this war and fear for their lives, who have to organize resistance against overwhelming power, who have to flee from the war, who have the courage to fight the warmongers in their country protest and who live in the countries that are directly affected by this war,” said the Dombauvereinigung.
Everyone who hears the tones of the bell is invited to pause and absorb the call for peace, it said. Among other things, churches in Frankfurt, Lübeck, Essen, Constance, Dresden and Vienna want to take part in the campaign. Many other participating churches will probably be added. According to the intention of the association, the “fire ringing” should be heard in many places in Europe.