Tintinnabulum
Encyclopedia
A Tintinnabulum is a bell mounted on a pole, placed in a Roman Catholic Basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...

 to signify the church's link with the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

.

History

In the Middle Ages it served the practical function of alerting the people of Rome to the approach of the Pope during papal processions.
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