Miraculous Medal Shrine Carillon - Germantown, PA
Posted by: 
Janila
N 40° 02.517 W 075° 10.058
18T E 485699 N 4432426
The carillon at the Miraculous Medal Shrine in Germantown, PA, was played for the first time in 1901.
Waymark Code: WMZCDC
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 10/19/2018
Views: 2
The history of the carillon from their website. (
visit link)
"Construction of the Shrine’s bell tower that houses the carillon was completed in 1899. The parishioners of a nearby parish run by the Vincentians decided that the Shrine should have a bell tower and carillon. They were encouraged to pledge money as memorial offerings. One parishioner, Margaret Ellen Maguire, pledged $5,000 from an inheritance she received from her father. She stipulated that the monies were to be used exclusively for the carillon. In 1900, a carillon of 26 bells was ordered from the famous Paccard Foundry in France. The bells were blessed on March 25, 1901, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin. The bells were officially played for the first time on Easter Sunday, April 7, 1901. These bells are dedicated to the memory of Margaret’s father, John Maguire. The largest bell weighs 3,300 pounds; the smallest weighs 30 pounds. The bells are artfully decorated. Eleven of the bells are inscribed with the names of saints; the remaining 15 bells are named in honor of the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary.
The carillon was silent for many of its first 40 years. There were problems with the mechanical workings of the bells, and there were many upgrades and experiments with new electrical and various mechanical systems. The silence was broken in 1945 when Arthur Lynds Bigelow, an engineer and carillon expert, came to the Shrine and offered to repair the carillon. He also proposed enlarging the carillon to 47 bells. The installation of the bells and new keyboard were completed in 1952. The new carillon with 47 bells was publically played on June 15, 1952, with Bigelow as the carillonneur."