Joseph (commonly known as Big Joe) is a bronze
bell
A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...
that hangs into the bell tower of Neo-Gothic
Saint Francis De Sales Catholic Church in
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
,
Ohio
Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
[ The endearing moniker Big Joe is a combination of the names of Joseph T. Buddeke, the largest donor of the project, and ]Big Ben
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, and, by extension, for the clock tower itself, which stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. Originally named the Clock Tower, it ...
, the great bell in the iconic Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...
clock tower in London.[SFDS History]
saintfrancisdesalesparish.org
Measuring tall and with a diameter of , the 17.5 ton bell is the largest swinging bell ever cast in the United States.The Verdin Company
The Verdin Company is a manufacturer of bronze bells, clocks and towers based in Cincinnati, Ohio in the United States. The company has been making, restoring, and repairing bells for use in bell and clock towers, peals, chimes, and carillons ...
, foundry of the nearby and even larger World Peace Bell (which was cast in France), dismisses damage to window glass inflicted by Big Joe as a local legend with no historical basis. According to them, Big Joe was never swung again because of trembling in the bell tower and crumbing of mortar; the bell was simply too big for its tower.[Will Newport bell rattle its neighbors?]
/ref>
Following the bell's inaugural ring, the parish priests decreed the bell shall "remain immobile forever".[ The clapper was not used again; today the bell is rung only with an oversized foot hammer tapping its rim.]Angelus
FIle:Jean-François Millet (II) 001.jpg, ''The Angelus (painting), The Angelus'' (1857–1859) by Jean-François Millet
The Angelus (; Latin for "angel") is a Catholic devotion commemorating the Incarnation (Christianity), Incarnation of Jesus ...
, followed by the chiming of four smaller bells, known as the "ladies in waiting", resting above it.
See also
* St. Petersglocke
References
External links
BIG JOE "Largest swinging bell in the world. Presented to St. Francis de Sales's congregation by the late Joseph G. Buddeke." St. Francis de Sales Church
{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Joe (Bell)
Buildings and structures completed in 1895
Bells (percussion)
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Landmarks in Cincinnati