By Olga Mosychuk
It's the bell tower on The Bluff. By far the tallest structure on campus, the 106-foot tower in the new Marian Garden outside the Chapel of Christ the Teacher is visible from the downtown Portland waterfront, and likely to become to UP what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris.
UP Board of Regents Chairman Allen Lund and his wife, Kathleen donated the money to build the $1.4 million tower, he said, to enhance "the spiritual ambience of campus." During construction last spring, some students questioned whether that was money well-spent. But there's no question the bell tower has its fans.
Among them is UP alum George Galati (1954,1960), who takes daily walks around campus. Galati was among the donors who sponsored one of the fourteen imported bells in the tower. The ninth bell, which rings in F sharp was dedicated in memory of his beloved wife, Ann.
Each bell contains symbols from UP within its metal. The Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, C.S.C, the University's Executive Vice President, was there when the bells were forged in The Netherlands, and dropped a University of Portland medallion into the molten metal while praying the Magnificat and Angelus. Each bell has been given a Saint's name and a dedication by its respective benefactor.
The fourteen bells are automated, and the tower can ring over one thousand tunes. It is projected that the bells will chime hourly and play the Angelus twice a day. Each night, the bell tower will ring out the Alma Mater, signaling the day's end. Seasonal tunes may also be added with the onset of Advent.
The Plaza on which the tower stands was created with specific iconography in mind. The designers were asked to incorporate the existing Marian Garden, and they did so through the use of concrete, stone and symbolic vegetation. A radial pattern surrounds the tower at its base, with seven rays representing sacraments of the Catholic Church: Baptism, the Eucharist, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick. Each part of this Plaza, down to the living ray that leads up to a statue of Mary, is a reminder of the deep Catholic roots which spurred the growth of UP.
On Sept. 18th, Portland Archbishop John Vlazny will visit UP for the dedication of the bell tower. The ceremony will include a public recitation of the rosary.
- Olga Mosiychuk
