A long-standing tradition in Missouri is to have the bells toll noon at St. Peter Catholic Church near the capitol during the inauguration of the governor. Those bells are expected to sound twelve times as Republican Governor-elect Eric Greitens is scheduled to be sworn into office at noon on Monday.
Greitens rehearses swearing in ceremony (Photo courtesy of Greitens staffer Austin Chambers)
History tells us that timing issues during some past inaugurations have led to hiccups with the bells.
One of the most memorable malfunctions was in 2013, during Governor Nixon’s (D) inauguration. In a blog by former Missourinet news director Bob Priddy, he eloquently recalls the occasion.
The bells sounded eight times. After a long pause, Senate President Pro tem Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles), the MC, approached the podium. As he took a breath to introduce the judge to swear in the governor, the ninth bell rang. The crowd and podium guests laughed loudly. Dempsey tossed his hands up in the air and went back to his seat. The tenth bell sounded. Then the eleventh. A 12th bell never rang. Voices on the platform (including Nixon’s apparently) are heard confirming, however, that there had been a 12th bell.
Dempsey introduced St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison, who mispronounced Nixon’s first name, to swear in Nixon.
Missourinet will cover the inauguration ceremony in a live simulcast from 11-1 p.m. with Columbia television station ABC17 on Missourinet and Missourinet.com