A Christmas Bell

Peace among religious communities (both Christian and otherwise) is as urgent now as it was during the run-up to the Thirty Years War. We hardly needed the Alexandria massacre to tell us as much.

Transylvania, where we live these days, has an especially distinguished history of religious toleration. Toleration, mind you, is not equality or separation-of-church-and-state or anything else quite so modern. Catch us in an unguarded moment for some rueful commentary. But the tradition is long and noble nonetheless.

All of which is just a preface to this story, posted at the parish orange-crate, about a little town with a little church and a little bell. And a prayer for peace among people of faith.