The Angelus
Encyclopedia
The Angelus is an Irish
audial
and televisual
institution. It consists of the ringing of a bell for Angelus
for one minute and a short film about one minute long. It is broadcast 7 days a week on RTÉ One
immediately prior to the Six One News
. On radio they are broadcast at 12:00 and 18:00 every day.
Radio Éireann
first broadcast The Angelus on 15 August 1950. Secretary of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs Leon Ó Broin
and Archbishop of Dublin
John Charles McQuaid
had discussed the original idea in the late 1940s. The bells were first (and still are) recorded from St Mary's Pro-Cathedral
, although initially broadcast live.
The broadcast of the Angelus by RTÉ has been called into question from time to time. A number of religious faiths outside Catholicism notably the Church of Ireland
, have called for its continuation.
. More recently, it showed “a number of people of varying gender and ages pause to pray at the sound of the bell”.
relaunched The Angelus broadcast before RTÉ News: Six One
. It features seven different editions, with seven respective people for each one. Featured people include a chemist
from Finglas
, a mother from Sixmilebridge
, grandparents feeding swans in Shannon
, a fisherman from Enniscorthy
and an office worker from Zambia
at her office near the Phoenix Park
. The one-minute feature attracts and average audience of 318,000. It was developed by Kairos Communications.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
audial
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and televisual
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
institution. It consists of the ringing of a bell for Angelus
Angelus
The Angelus is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. The name Angelus is derived from the opening words: Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ The Angelus (Latin for "angel") is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. The name Angelus is derived from the opening words: Angelus...
for one minute and a short film about one minute long. It is broadcast 7 days a week on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
immediately prior to the Six One News
RTÉ News: Six One
RTÉ News: Six One is the evening news programme broadcast each night on Irish television channel RTÉ One...
. On radio they are broadcast at 12:00 and 18:00 every day.
Radio Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
first broadcast The Angelus on 15 August 1950. Secretary of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs Leon Ó Broin
Leon Ó Broin
Leon Ó Broin was an Irish Civil Servant, writer and playwright, who wrote many plays, stories and historical works in both English and Irish....
and Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church of Ireland has a similar role, heading the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In both cases, the Archbishop is also Primate of Ireland...
John Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid, C.S.Sp. was the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland between December 1940 and February 1972.- Early life 1895-1914:...
had discussed the original idea in the late 1940s. The bells were first (and still are) recorded from St Mary's Pro-Cathedral
St Mary's Pro-Cathedral
St Mary's Church , known also as St Mary's Pro-Cathedral or simply the Pro-Cathedral, is a pro-cathedral and is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland.-Status as "pro-cathedral":...
, although initially broadcast live.
The broadcast of the Angelus by RTÉ has been called into question from time to time. A number of religious faiths outside Catholicism notably the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, have called for its continuation.
Television Format
Televised programming began at Telefís Éireann's launch. Images shown were pictures of AnnunciationAnnunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
. More recently, it showed “a number of people of varying gender and ages pause to pray at the sound of the bell”.
2009 relaunch
From the 21 September 2009, RTÉ TelevisionRTÉ Television
RTÉ Television is a department of Ireland's state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann.The first channel to broadcast was Telefís Éireann which began broadcasting on 31 December 1961...
relaunched The Angelus broadcast before RTÉ News: Six One
RTÉ News: Six One
RTÉ News: Six One is the evening news programme broadcast each night on Irish television channel RTÉ One...
. It features seven different editions, with seven respective people for each one. Featured people include a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
from Finglas
Finglas
-See also:* List of towns and villages in Ireland* List of abbeys and priories in Ireland...
, a mother from Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge is a small town in County Clare, Ireland. Located midway between Ennis and Limerick city, the town is a short distance away from the main N18 road, being on the old "back road" between the two...
, grandparents feeding swans in Shannon
Shannon, County Clare
Shannon or Shannon Town , named after the river near which it stands, is a town located in County Clare. It was given town status on 1 January 1982. The town is located just off the N19 road, a spur of the N18/M18 road between Limerick city and Ennis....
, a fisherman from Enniscorthy
Enniscorthy
Enniscorthy is the second largest town in County Wexford, Ireland. The population of the town and environs is 9538. The Placenames Database of Ireland sheds no light on the origins of the town's name. It may refer either to the "Island of Corthaidh" or the "Island of Rocks". With a history going...
and an office worker from Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
at her office near the Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
. The one-minute feature attracts and average audience of 318,000. It was developed by Kairos Communications.