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Rising 179 feet from the once-stubby tower of the church, the neo-Gothic spire is among New Haven's highest structures. With its 11-foot Celtic cross, it stands 240 feet above the town. The belfry, the "lantern" section above it, and the long tip of the steeple have a weather-proof covering of 20,000 individually riveted, diamond-shaped "shingles" made of microzinc. This steeple, a celebratory modern addition visible from all the interstate highways around New Haven, rests on the 28-foot-square stone base erected in 1874. Within the belfry is a voice for old St. Mary's. These great bells were designed by the I.T. Verdin Company of Cincinnati, and cast at the Petit and Fitsen Foundry in Aarle-Rixtel, Holland. The largest is a 3,300-pound bell, 52 5/16 inches in diameter at the base, tuned to the musical note D, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary.  The second bell, named for St. Michael weighs 1,990 pounds, is 44 1/2 inches in diameter at the base, and rings the musical note F. The third bell, dedicated to St. Dominic weighs 1,000 pounds, is 35 1/2 inches in diameter at its base, and is tuned to the musical note A.  Each bell bears
a separate dedicatory inscription. The first includes the emblem of
the Third Degree, Knights of Columbus and the "Maria" monogram; the
second displays the sword of the Archangel Michael with the Fourth
Degree and Third Degree emblems; and on the third there appears an
eight-pointed star—a symbol of St. Dominic, the Third Degree
emblem and the emblem of the Columbian Squires. The bells, electronically controlled, ring out the Angelus over central New Haven and over the tomb of Father McGivney each morning, noon and night and mark St. Mary's worship at many other times. Continue + Previous + Tour Page
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