ALBANY, N.Y. -- 150 years ago these bells were installed at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany, and Saturday the bells were played for the first time in a half-century.

In the 1920s, an electrical system was put into place to ring the bells, but that wore out over time. Over the past year, Joe Connors has been repairing the manual hammers that ring the bells. And so, the first time in decades, chimers played Christmas carols before a special mass at the Cathedral.

“Like father said during mass, he said when the bells are ringing God is talking to you. And that's the way to take it. And whatever help I've been able to do make this happen that's good,” said Joe Connors, Chime Historian & Chimer.

Back in 1862, it took three weeks to raise all 10 bells up into the bell tower.