Rattle boy
Rattle boys (also Klepperbuben , Rasselbuben , or Ratschenbuam , Ratschenkinder ) take over the function of the church bells in Catholic parishes between Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday .
In mourning over the Passion of Christ, the church bells are silent after they have rung for the last time at the Gloria of Maundy Thursday Mass. The vernacular also says that the bells flew to Rome . In order to show the congregation the times for the Angelus during this time and to call them to the church services , the village children and young people go out with wooden clappers. These rattles consist of a stick that is stuck through a board and has a wooden hammer on top that can swing freely to both sides. Various other "noise generators" - mostly self-made and made of wood - are also used, such as ratchets .
Regional particularities
The rattle boy custom is also partly subject to regional coloring. In addition to the rattles, various sayings or exclamations can be added. In the Rhineland ( e.g. in Bornheim ) z. B. "Morjensklock", "Meddachsklock" or "Ovendsklock" called (high German "morning", "noon", "evening bell"). In Upper Franconia the name "Roffln" is common. The rhythm of the clatter is fixed in many places. Exclamations have been passed down in some localities. In Königshofen an der Kahl (Aschaffenburg district), for example, the following is common:
- on the Angelus "We rattle the Ave Maria, the heavenly salutation that every Christian must pray"
- half an hour before the service: "We rattle the first and second signs to the church"
- a quarter of an hour before the service "oak, beech, fir, we are rattling together now"
- On Good Friday before the Good Friday liturgy , instead of “oak, beech, fir” the singing is: “We rattle the suffering and death of Christ”
When the last rattle before Easter Vigil, the rattling children ring the doorbells to collect sweets, Easter eggs or money for their work .