The Bishop of Brno blessed 16 bells in the church in Brno-Lesná

photo: Atelier Štěpán

Brno – The Bishop of Brno Vojtěch Cikrle blessed 16 bells yesterday, which will form a carillon in the new Church of Mary Restituta in Brno-Lesná. They were created by the bell foundry of Leticia Vránová-Dytrychová in Brodek near Přerov. The smallest bell weighs 15 and the heaviest 220 kilograms, and all the bells were paid for by donors, said pastor Pavel Hověz.

The church is nearly completed, and the ceremonial opening for believers is planned for May 1, on the anniversary of the patroness's birth. The bells for the carillon cost nearly three million crowns, the most expensive being 600,000 crowns. "There will be a plaque in the church for the donors who 'adopted' the bells," Hověz said. They will be hoisted to the tower sometime during the winter, once the ground freezes and it becomes possible to reach the church with a crane. The carillon will be controlled by a computer and will have a repertoire of over 50 melodies, both religious and secular. "For example, carols, Easter, or Lenten melodies," Hověz said.

According to him, the nearly completed church still needs some interior cladding to ensure good acoustics.

The exterior of the church is covered with simple symbols of Christianity and various aspects and phases of life – such as an open book, a branch, a fish, but also a beer mug, which Blessed Mary Restituta is said to have enjoyed. A native of Husovice, now part of Brno, she lived in Vienna as a nun and nurse. The Nazis executed her in 1943.

On the tower of the church, the words fos and zoé, meaning light and life, are depicted in Greek letters in the form of a cross. This is a motif from a small lead cross from the ninth century, found during excavations near the foundations of the church in Sady near Uherské Hradiště. According to Hověz, the new church is thus connected to the beginnings of Christianity in Moravia.

Until now, there was only a spiritual center in Lesná, not a fully-fledged church. The new temple will have 250 seats and standing space. The construction will cost about 110 million crowns, excluding interior furnishings. Most of the parish has been obtained from small donations. Additionally, parishioners will be looking for funds for the church's equipment.