Russian monks want Harvard's bells

[dArKeR]

Father Alexei looks out of the window at the bell tower of the Moscow headquarters of the Rus-sian Patriarch and wonders whether his prayers will be answered.

The bells in the monastery tower peal loudly and tunefully enough, but their chimes are a cause more for rancor than religious reflection because they are only replacements for originals whisked away by a US benefactor 70 years ago.

Seven decades ago the American diplomat and plumbing magnate Charles Crane bought the Danilov monastery's 18 bronze bells and donated them to Harvard University to stop Soviet ruler Josef Stalin from carrying out a threat to melt them down.

"The bells are valuable -- they are an inalienable part of the soul and culture of the Russian nation," Alexei said, explaining that some dated back to the 17th century. "The bells call people to worship ... They are like the voice of God on earth -- they call people to turn to God."

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/02/02/2003097207

[MercutioATC]

1. Geez...he bought them. If he hadn't, they wouldn't exist.

Harvard should let replicas be made, but they have every right to keep the bells.

[David Dunham]

2. Harvard Should Give Them Back

I heard these nice bells all the time when I attended Harvard, but now it's time to give them back.