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Crews hoisted three new bells into the tower Friday at St. Mary Church in Aspen.
David Krause / The Aspen Times
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Sean Wooton looks up at the top of the belfry Friday after bringing the third new bronze bell into St. Mary Catholic Church in Aspen. One of the original bells, which is made of steel, will remain in the tower with the new bells.
Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times
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The largest of the three new bells waits Friday morning to be hoisted to the bell tower at St. Mary Catholic Church.
David Krause / The Aspen Times
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St. Mary music director Kevin Kaukl has his photo taken by Fr. Darrick Leier as the new bell waits to be lifted into the belfry. Fr. Leier recently joined the church after the retirement of Fr. John Hilton.
David Krause / The Aspen Times
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The largest of the new three bells for St. Mary Catholic Church is rung Friday by Fr. Darrick Leier before it gets lifted into the bell tower.
David Krause / The Aspen Times
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Crews hoisted three new bells into the tower Friday at St. Mary Church in Aspen.
David Krause / The Aspen Times
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David Krause / The Aspen Times
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Verdin Bells’ Sean Wooton, left, and Mark Krekeler set the third bell into the Belfry at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aspen on Thursday, November 7, 2019. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times
There will be a new sound coming from the belfry at St. Mary Catholic Church as three news bells were hoisted into the tower Friday morning while onlookers, including new pastor Fr. Darrick Leier, watched with anticipation.
The new bronze-cast bells, which were baptized during a ceremony Wednesday night, each have a name. The largest, which weighs just over 1,000 pounds and was the last to go in Friday, is Maria Gaudens; the second largest is Saint Gabriel; and the smallest is Little Saint John.
The bells were cast over the summer by the historic Royal Eijsbouts foundry in The Netherlands, St. Mary’s music director Kevin Kaukl said. Then, the bells were fitted for the church tower by The Verdin Company, which has specialized in bells and clock towers for nearly 200 years, in Ohio. They made it to Aspen this week and up to their new home Friday morning.
“This has been about a year in the running to get the bells in there,” Kaukl said. “These bells are pitched to ring in a major triad together.”
The church had a set of bells delivered a year ago but did not like the sound and pitch when they were together. Those remain in the church’s garage.
One of the church’s original bells, which is about three times the size of the largest new one and made of steel, will remain in the tower and may some day be fitted with a toll, Kaukl said.
The three new bells will be able to swing to ring out or hit with toll. Fr. Leier is still working on a schedule for when and how the bells will be used.
The installation of the bells caps the nearly two-year, $7 million renovation of the church, which was dedicated in March 1892.
“I can’t wait,” Fr. Leier said, “to hear the big one ring up there for the first time.”