Bell forged from Russian weapons used in Ukraine now sounds above Prague: “May it awaken those who sleep”
Forged from weapons used by Russia in Ukraine, the “bell of freedom” now rings from the north tower of the Church of the Holy Saviour next to the Charles Bridge. Formally handed over by the Dutch royal couple in June, it was blessed last week by priest Tomáš Halík in a ceremony attended by the Ukrainian, Dutch, and Danish ambassadors.
The bell, christened Salvátor during the ceremony, weighs 198 kilograms and measures 69 centimetres in diameter. It replaced an earlier bell of the same name that was seized and melted down to make weapons in 1916 during the First World War. The symbolism is striking: whereas the original bell was turned into instruments of war, the new bell was cast from weapons into a symbol of peace – a point emphasized in speeches during the ceremony, notably by Ukrainian Ambassador to Czechia Vasyl Zvarych:
"Cast in the Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry in the Netherlands from the remnants of the Russian weapons used in the Russian suppression of Ukraine, it embodies a transformation of violence into peace, of death into remembrance, of suffering into hope. The ‘bell of freedom’ will replace one of the church bells that was seized for the war machinery in the previous century. Its voice will now sound over Prague as a reminder that freedom is precious, hard-won, but always worth defending."
Tomáš Halík, a Czech Catholic priest, philosopher, and public figure, who serves as pastor of the Academic Parish at the Church of the Holy Saviour, linked the blessing of the new bell to both historical and contemporary struggles for freedom. Speaking shortly after the anniversary of November 17th, which marks the peaceful Velvet Revolution and the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia, he emphasized the universal necessity of defending freedom, echoing the Ukrainian Ambassador.
Halík also addressed the ongoing debate over Ukrainian flags on Czech official buildings, highlighting the importance of symbolic acts:
"Ukrainian flags on public buildings in the Czech Republic are a powerful and inspiring sign that we are a proud, united, and courageous nation – one that does not yield to aggression and recognizes that Ukraine is also fighting for us, for the freedom of all of Europe. All these symbolic acts – the flags on official buildings and in citizens’ windows – bear witness to that. An even stronger and more lasting symbol will be this bell, which will endure for centuries. Let us hope it will ring in times when freedom prevails in Ukraine. May it show that we stand firm in solidarity with all those who value freedom."
The Ukrainian Ambassador expressed gratitude for these symbolic acts, which highlight, as he put it, that 'Ukraine is not alone.' He added that:
"May the sound of this bell of freedom be heard throughout the free world. May it awaken those who sleep and inspire decisive action from those who can do much good but hesitate or fear."
The bell was made from a 122-mm artillery shell from Ukraine, with a fragment of a Russian S-300 missile placed in its heart. It was lifted into place using a crane.
The project was initiated by former Dutch Ambassador Daan Huisinga in collaboration with the Ukrainian embassy and Ondřej Boháč of Sanctus Castulus. Current Dutch Ambassador Mina Noor praised Boháč and his organisation for “honouring the art of bell-making” and restoring bells to their original locations.
Boháč, a lifelong advocate for Prague’s historic bells, began ringing at various Old Town churches at the age of 13. He recalled being saddened that many churches could no longer be heard in their original full sound, as about 95% of bells were lost during the First and Second World Wars and little effort was made under the communist era to restore them. To address this, he and other Prague bell-ringers founded Sanctus Castulus, gradually raising funds and restoring or commissioning new bells.
The new bell, Salvátor, which marks the 20th restoration by Sanctus Castulus, helps revive Prague’s historic soundscape while sending a strong message of solidarity with Ukraine. During the ceremony, participants prayed for peace and justice:
"Friends, in this solemn moment, let us ask the Lord, whose care embraces the fate of peoples and nations, to restore peace in Ukraine, and to strengthen those who defend their freedom and the existence of the Ukrainian nation. May the hope for peace and justice, and the restoration of freedom and democracy, be heard. Lord, have mercy."
