Christmas bells entered the Romanian cultural space through a long process in which archaic traditions blended with Christian belief and European influences. Long before the holiday of Christmas developed as we know it, metallic sounds played an important ritual role in old communities: they were used to drive away evil spirits, to purify spaces, and to protect people during transitional moments at the turn of the year. These beliefs have been preserved in winter customs such as caroling, the Plugușor, and masked dances, where bells and jingles were indispensable. With the spread of Christianity, the sound of the bell also acquired a profound religious meaning, becoming an announcer of major feasts and a symbol of the Nativity. Small bells, however, were not originally used as decorations but primarily as functional or ritual objects. The first decorated Christmas tree in the Romanian lands was the one at the palace of Prince Carol I of Hohenzollern, following his arrival in the Romanian Principalities in 1866. From that moment the tradition took root, and on Christmas Eve princes and princesses invited to the palace would take part in decorating the tree. Among the ornaments used were small metal bells, symbolizing joy, the good news, and divine protection for the home. In the twentieth century, Christmas bells spread across all Romanian provinces and became a visual emblem of the holiday, appearing in both decorations and carols. Even during periods when religious expression was curtailed, bells remained in people's homes as signs of joy and the continuity of tradition. Today they retain this dual meaning: the echo of ancient beliefs and, at the same time, the announcement of the Birth of Christ - a symbol of hope, light, and the link between past and present. These tinkling pieces are part of a generous heritage collection at the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM), which includes more than 200 cultural items. A substantial contribution to the museum's collection of decorative bells was made by Dorina Raischi, a teacher at School No. 94 in Chișinău, who donated 174 bells, of which around 30 are winter-themed. Made of ceramic, porcelain, glass, and metal, they were brought from different parts of the world and together offer a succinct picture of the global culture of bells. They add a festive note to the home and even to a gift, and it is hard to imagine Christmas without their cheerful tinkling.
About bells and bellmakers in Moldavia (before 1859)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2015
Abstract
Bells used in Christian churches are documentary sources due to the inscriptions, decorations and coats of arms available on them. Depending on the language in which the inscriptions were made, old bells had different names. The bells used to be donated to the churches by private persons, by the right of the founder, or by communities; the oldest bells of the medieval Moldavian state date back to the reign of Stephen the Great. The alloy used for bell casting contained copper, brass and a minor amount of silver or other elements. Bellfounders were itinerant, traveling from church to church to cast bells, the furnaces were built on sites, and the casting of large bells was carried out only during the warmer months. The most lasting operation was building the furnace and constructing the mold, and the most dangerous process was pouring the melt metal in a mold. This was followed by controlled cooling the bell, removing the mold material after the metal has solidifi ed, and finishing the bell. Casting bells was always associated with a number of beliefs and practices meant to contribute to the success of the operation and the obtaining of a beautiful sound of the bell. Data about the practitioners of this craft are rather scanty; their few names can be found in archival documents and inscriptions on the bells only to the middle of the 18th century. Some bells were cast in Transylvania, in Sighișoara and Brașov. Whether members of the clergy or the laity, the bellfounders had great technical knowledge and skills handed down from father to son. Unfortunately, only a few churches and monasteries preserved the original bells; many were lost in course of time, sometimes in fi res, and in most cases because of requisitions for military needs, when they were melted down to make cannons.
Elena Chiaburu
Removing and censoring books in communist Romania: Ion Ionescu de la Brad’s case
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIII [XXVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Elena Chiaburu
Political purges from Romanian universities during the communist regime: the case of Gheorghe Ivănescu
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIX [XXXIV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie, Chişinău, 2025
Elena Chiaburu
New interpretations of the origin and the name of Gavriil Bănulescu (Bodoni)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Christmas bells entered the Romanian cultural space through a long process in which archaic traditions blended with Christian belief and European influences. Long before the holiday of Christmas developed as we know it, metallic sounds played an important ritual role in old communities: they were used to drive away evil spirits, to purify spaces, and to protect people during transitional moments at the turn of the year...
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
