The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-10 00:00:00

THE MONASTERY OF ST. G BORGB.

The Moniteur publishes a letter from the Crimea,
dated 27th ult., containing some interesting particulars
relative to the monastery of St. Ge7ge, a religious esta-
blishment, held in great veneration throughout the
country. It was founded in the 10th century, and ori-
ginally served as an aboie to a few Greek monks, who
refused to join in the heresy of Photius, and placed it
under the protection of St. George.. The monastery is
situated on the highest point of the coast of Chersonesus,
360 feet above the level of the' sea, and has been in-
habited, since 1829, by Russian monks, who supply
with chaplains the fleet at Sebastopol. When the Al-
lied armies took possession of the positions they now
occupy, General Canrobert, who has made himself f very
popular in the country by the manner in which he
maintains religious liberty and protects private property,
confided the care of the monastery to a corps of Zeuaves,
and issued the following order of the day :

" Tho Convont of St. George is placed under the protec-
tion of the Alliod armies. Military men and other persons
following the armies are forbidden to entrr it by force, or
to disturb in any way the security of tho inhabitants, or
violate the rights of property.
"At the Camp of Chersonosus, Oct. 2, 851."
- • • •

That order hai been atrictly- obeyed by the two armies.
The monks who usually inhabit the convent are 50 in

number ; at present only 17 remain, the others being
engaged with the duties of their ministry at Sebastopol.
The Superior, who is invested with the dignity of A relit-
mandrite, is Father Guerondi, a man of respectable ap-
pearance, about 48 years of age. He is tail and wears a
long grey beard. His costume consists of a black robe,
a black round hat without brims, to the back of which
is adapted a black veil falling on his shoulders. A gold
cross, placed on his breast, is the only sign that distiu-
guishes him from the other monks. The convent is with-
in the direct jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Odessa.
Father Guerondi understands his position, and expresses
the greatest gratitude for the conduct of the army to-
wards him. On ordinary days the monks have only two
church services, the one at nine o'clock in the morning
and the other at three p.m. They officiate in the Scla-
vonian language, which was substituted 25 years ago
by the Emperor Nicholas, for the Greek language.
Their singing is grave, and not wanting in originality.
They enjoy a great reputation of piety in the Crimea,
and their appearance is very fair. Several among
them, who were married, declare that they do not re-
gret the pleasures and joys of the world. With the ex-
ception of the Archimandrite, they are all devoid of
instruction, and know very little even of their religion.
When they aro on board the Russian ships they aro
subjected to the mo.st rigorox!ii military discipline, being
obliged every mornin.g to wait on the Commander and
take his orders. It is he who regulates the labours of
the day, and tells them the points they are to treat in
their sermons and religious instructions to the seamen
and marines. An officer assists at those exercises to
ascertain if the orders of the Commander have been
obeyed. That situation completely destroys the inde-
pendence of their sacred character, and renders them mere
political tools in the haads of the Russian Government.