For the first time in history, the old bell on Canterbury Cathedral’s central tower — known as bell “Harry” — will toll each evening in remembrance of the day’s global victims of coronavirus, and in celebration of the heroism of frontline healthcare staff and other essential workers around the world.

It is hoped that “the familiar sound of this bell of the 1,400-year-old cathedral will be a comfort and source of strength for all who hear it; a symbol of continuity, solidarity and reassurance that we will, as a global community, get through this dark time together”.

Some Indians might remember the John Donne poem, For Whom the Bell Tolls, they were perhaps taught at school, with its observation, “send not to know/ For whom the bell tolls,/ It tolls for thee”.

Indian tourists to the UK often take the one hour fast train from London to Canterbury, partly to see the headquarters of the Kent County Cricket Club where such legends as Colin Cowdrey, for example, drove effortlessly through the covers.

The cathedral is also a big draw for those who want to see the exact spot where Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered by four knights on 29 December 1170 after King Henry II allegedly inspired the assassination by possibly uttering the sentence: “Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest.”

The tolling began at 8pm on Thursday, which is described as “Maundy Thursday”.

The cathedral authorities said: “In recognition of the unprecedented shared global tragedy of this pandemic, Canterbury Cathedral — the Mother Church of the Worldwide Anglican Communion —will sound bell “Harry” for two minutes at 8pm each evening until the threat of coronavirus recedes.

“The tolling of the bell will be both in remembrance of each day’s victims of coronavirus around the world, and in celebration and recognition of the daily bravery and self-sacrifice of frontline healthcare staff and other essential workers within the UK and internationally.”

The cathedral is “encouraging everyone within earshot to record the tolling of the bel”.

The Dean of Canterbury, The Very Rev Dr Robert Willis, said: “Communities around the world have embraced the idea of clapping hands to thank publicly healthcare staff and other frontline workers at this time.

“We all know that their vital work is undertaken at great personal risk to themselves. The bell of Canterbury Cathedral will lend its voice to this display of gratitude and also mark a moment to pause and remember those who have died.”

No campanologist will be harmed in the ringing of the bell, which “will be tolled remotely via a timer”.

These days religion has been forced to go online. The current Archbishop, Justin Welby, the 105th to hold the position – he was the one who apologised for the Amritsar massacre by dramatically prostrating himself when visiting Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar in September last year – recorded his Easter Sunday sermon on an iPad in his London apartment.

“After so much suffering, so much heroism from key workers and the NHS, we cannot be content to go back to what was before as if all is normal,” he will say. “There needs to be a resurrection of our common life.”