ROBIN BURY,
Sir, - Niall O'Donoghue (March 18th) implies that the Angelus bell is broadcast in Finland. The Finnish Broadcasting Company has advised that bells from Turku Cathedral in the medieval capital of Finland are broadcast on Radio Ylen Ykkönen (a radio channel of the Finnish Broadcasting Company) from Monday to Saturday at 12:00-12:05 .
These cathedral bells are not the Angelus bell and don't call people to prayer. They are bells broadcast at noon because of their attractive chimes. Turku Cathedral has been a Lutheran church for the past 500 years.
Father Tom Ingoldsby (March 20th) maintains the Angelus "is not specifically a Catholic prayer". However, it is a prayer that no other church uses, being dedicated to Mary as the "Holy Mother of God". Protestant churches do not recognise this position of Mary and other religions would not use this prayer. Perhaps that is why it is not broadcast by any other public broadcaster in Europe.
Should we take a leaf out of Radio Ylen Ykkönen's book and broadcast something more inclusive, such as chimes from one of our cathedrals? - Yours, etc.,
ROBIN BURY,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.