Church bells have been silenced in the parish of Bytom, Silesia, in southern Poland, after anonymous complaints about excessive noise — a situation also previously seen in the nearby city of Gliwice.
The parish in Bytom-Miechowice announced that due to administrative decisions effective from July 15, church bells will no longer ring. In Gliwice, noise levels reportedly exceeded the allowed limit of 55 decibels, prompting similar actions based on anonymous complaints.
“The issue of reducing the ringing intensity of the bells is challenging, but we will attempt to address it, though it is not straightforward,” stated Father Henryk Oleś during Sunday mass. He noted that while only two individuals lodged complaints, the parish is exploring alternative methods for calling the faithful to service, as the bells have traditionally served this purpose.
The decision has been met with disbelief and frustration among the community. A resident of Radzionków expressed on Facebook, “I am shocked — such an absurd administrative decision. It’s hard to believe, especially since the church bells have been ringing since 1917, and now their use is suddenly prohibited.”
Father Oleś mentioned coordination with a priest from Gliwice facing similar issues, who had already faced penalties for non-compliance. The parish in Gliwice has scrapped the use of bells and chimes due to imposed fines, with just a single complaint leading to a noise level check by the regional Environmental Protection Inspectorate in Katowice. The results showed the noise generated by the bells far exceeded permitted noise levels by approximately 9.5 decibels.
Additionally, the inspection revealed that the ringing of bells and playing of melodies outside of mass and service times was against environmental protection laws.
Despite the regulatory compliance, the local parish priest has gathered nearly 700 signatures from parishioners wishing for the return of the bells.
“We respect the secular authorities’ decision and do not interfere with their jurisdiction,” commented Father Krystian Piechaczek, spokesperson for the Gliwice diocese.
Residents interviewed by O2.pl news outlet did not complain about the noise, but any violation of the ban could lead to fines, potentially costing the parish approximately 20,000 złotys (€4,600) per month in penalties.
