A heart was also projected onto the Martini Tower
The Dutch Association of Churches (Raad van Kerken) made an appeal to ring church bells last night as a symbol of hope to everyone during the COVID-19 outbreak. In both the North and rest of the Netherlands church bells rang out for 15 minutes last night, whilst a heart was projected onto the Martini Tower in Groningen.
The bells are meant to ring from 20:00 to 20:15, as a symbol of “comfort and hope.” The coming weeks, on Wednesday March 25 and April 1, will also feature ringing the bells, reports GIC.nl
The Council of Churches said: “The Coronavirus will have a major impact on social life. People get infected with it, get sick and some even die from it. Many of the places where our daily lives take place are closed. The churches, where faith, hope and love are practiced and lived every week, must also close their doors. In order to spread a message of encouragement, hope and comfort in this time of uncertainty, the Council of Churches in the Netherlands calls on the church bells to ring the next three Wednesdays.”
The Council is in line with a local initiative of the Paradise Church in Rotterdam.
“With these ‘bells of hope and comfort’ churches can connect people across the boundaries of social isolation. The churches also call for prayer and other forms of support for all who are sick and who are committed to the health and safety of fellow human beings day in and day out. ”
It should be noted that according to a 2015 CBS (Centraal Bureau voor Statistiek) report, 50.1% of Dutch people are not affiliated to any religious grouping. Around 43% of the rest of the country identifies as a member of a Christian denomination.
Video via Maryse de Preter, Image via Alexis Veenendaal
