Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-10-26
Curious Funeral Ceremonies in Athens.

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Curious Funeral Ceremonies in Athens.
49, h..oro . r,,,,aI procession
os,,i,t no ,,a, catcbes The low |
ooln.3 80 - Of ,hn ,r.o.ts who
.'.,, ,,r.1 ,a,ISd Inv bovs in white robes
-. a., ,,ugiI,x and ecclesiastical
;,,.;,,n;a j., ,,reseuce of whtcl, e.yerv
hr,d nncnvrred. and every hand
,,,.Les the sign of the cross. The CORPSE
j. expos,d to full view IN an open coffin
~ lioht material. covered with white or
Llock cloth. with silver ar gllt decora-
lions. the cover of which. marked with
. long s;i,oonal cross. is carried befo q
The PROCESSION. The hodv Is dressed in
~. ru.tomarv clothes of the deceased,
be head SLIGHTLY elevated. and the
hands folded in front of q panel picture
oFt bn Virg;n of mn on the breast. If
II i =. iemaie the checks and lips ale
nainted vermiIion. intended 10 repro.
,m,o q natural expression, but which
ives ,o he corrse AN artificial and
yhsstlv look Even to one accustomed
In witness the exposure OF the dead iii
oriental countries, there is something
,,.inl,l in the idea OF exhibiting to the
,,Ia,a Of dav and amidst the whirl and
Ins.na,b,llty of the hubble street, the
i.,ture, OF a deceased person who IN
life NAV have beeo known only to the
little proup OF mourners gathered about
the remains. At Greek funerals the
hear. is not generally empioyed, and
the liaht omen cssket is borne by the
hands of the nearest friends of the de.
ceased. while the other mourners walk,
not march. in q 0ro,.D around it. Thus
rat6er than follow. their friend to the
crave. and gaze upon the face which was
dearto them M To the moment when he
is laid in 4iis last resting place. The
funerals of the moor are even more
touching to behold. A single priest.
pcrt,aus. performs the chant, and halt Il
dozen nlourners, representing the little
household, bear between them the coffin,
which is COMPOSED of the cheapest
material. and covered with white mus.
lin. When a person of distinguished
position dies, the funeral procession be-
comes an imposine s1eclacle, with the
bishops and priests iii their gorgeous
sacerdotai robes. numerous lighted
canules, and martial music. | once saw
the BODY Oh a venerable bishop of the
Greek Church carried in procession
through the streets of Athens. He was
oealeQ in his bishop's chair, elevated
above The people, and was clothed IN
his canonica robes, with miter on head
and The crosler upliited in his hand A
cloth around the forehead bound it to
the back of the chair, but not suili-
cientiy close to prevent the head from
bobblng up and down, as if the dead
mans pale and rigid features were salut,
ing, fol the last time, the people among
whom he had exercised his holy office
for over threescore years. In this
position he was placed in the grave, a
peculiar honor accorded to his ecclesi-
astical rank. The dead-chit Ay from
climatic considerations-ar buried with
in twenty four hours of their decease.
This is very shocking to foreign ideas :;
Dut tue custom mas come 10 De COM
plipi VIII viii hin less time than tNf. law
f. ' '''>'' " 49,
tb. soonar the painful du,v IL over and
the house freed from the distressing
spectacle of a CORPSE, the sooner will
the minds of the mourners he raliaved
from ASSOCIATION with what is rennl,ive.
and return 10 the inward contananlation
of their friend. ms thew knew HIM in
nfc. Thus il often hannens thai the