Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-08-08
A Russian Burial Service.

In Russia every phase of social life has
some popularity which attracts more or
less the attention of the foreigner; and
not the least among these peculiarities
are the rights and ceremonies connected
with the interment of the dead. The
following account of these ceremonies is
given by correspondent of the London
Telegraph:
A few days since 1 took an opportunity
of paying a visit to the Smolen ski, one of
the great cemeteries in the neighborhOod
of st. Petersburg. Long before l arrived
at the cemetery | was concious OF its
proximity by the appearance of many
shops exhibiting tomb-stones and wooden
crosses for the graves; and also by the
spectacle; in the open streets, of immense
varieties of wreeths and garlands, orna-
mented, some with paper roses, others
with "never fades" or some other nower
of funeral signification. Here and there,
too, were refreshmeut rooms for the ac.
commodation of those who, after the
labors and cares of the interment, might
wish to fortify the body or drown the
grief in the bottle. On reaching the
cemetery, the attention is first of al
directed to the church, where the custom
AIRY funeral rites are performed. Enter
ing, found myself in the lobby or ante
room of good size, in one corner OF which
behind a counter, sat lugubrious,
shabbily-dress Official, busily occu-
pied in the sale of candies, the
profits from which form consideraole
item in the revenue of the church IN
Russia. Usually, this Susiress is con
Quoted in the church itself. On the other
side of this room were standing the lids
of collins; in q row against the wall. A
few steps farther brought me to the body
of the church, where the service was 60
ing on. 1t is the custom here to perform
one funeral service in the morning ovei
the bodies of all who are brought for in
terment on that dsv, The scene that her,
meets a visitor is in the highest degree
curious and interesting. There is first OF
all the church itself, the whole eastern
side of which is ittering with gold and
silver, and ornamented With the pictures
of saints, before which feeble lamps shed
forth the dimmest of lights. There are
the priests and deacons, arrayed in whai
should be the gorgeous and brilliant robes
of Russian ecclesiastics; but in this plact
of tRaffic-the cemetery-the costumes are
passed on from one wearer to another un-
til almost every vestige of their pristine
splendor has vanished. In one corner OF
the altar stands the choir, consisting OF
two hideous-looking creatures, engaged
in pouring forth a lamentable howl.
called a requiem for the deceased, in tones
so doleful, SO inharmonious, and in
manner so careless and unconcerned, a.
to excite astonishment that such fright
full mockery can possibly be tolerated.
The corpses were arranged in two rows;
the bodies of the adult dead-of whicl
there were six-placed in front and near
a. l.. IL Nf ,,fr1
children, of ages varying from one yeaI
to six or seven, formed another row be
hind. The coffins were open, and the
upper part of the body was exposed,
while from the breast downwards, the
whole was covered by pals, for the most
part of dark yellow color. The hand
were crossed on the breast, and on those
of the adults were laid large sheets OF
paper containing a prayer in the Scla
vonian language, the purport of which
was to speed the soul on Its journey t.
heaven. 1t sometimes appears to be the
custom to place this prayer under the
head of the deceased. 1t was compare
lively pleasant to turn from the dark,
sallow, and drawn countenances of the
adults to the peaceful and happy faces OF
the little children, many of whom hac
the appearance of being in quiet, sweei
slumber, their heads enveloped in caps
decked with gay ribbons and flowers, ano
the whole body laid out with fine gauze
Instead of the prayer for remission Of
sins which was placed on the breasts o
the grown-up persons, these little chill
dren had strip OF paper bound rouno
the forehead, with few words, also Scla
vonic, prayiLg God for His mercy. The
idea is that these little ones are considered
10 be too young to have committed actua
sins, so the prayer for remission OF pardon
is not necessary The line of demarca
lion is drawn at seven or eight years of
age. The prayers and strips of paper ar
sold in small room adjoining the church,
at fixed price, the prayers at six CO
pecks, and the strips of paper at from
three half pence to three shillings. Th'
price is printed in large characters OIL
each article. The coffiRs of the youn,
are surmounted by candles at the immi-
nent risk of setting the gauZe and tn,
other appendages on fire-a catastrophe
which not unfrequently occurs.
You can readily imagine what a crowd
was assembled around these fifteen
corpses, and how great was the pressure
in a edifice not forty feet square. Th'
atmosphere. too, was heavy and oppres-
sive, from the heat of the crowd, the for
est of lighted candles, and the incense.
Those present were, some holding can
dies, some bowling their heads to the stont
| floor, some standing in the corners OF
against the wall engaged in lively conver
sation some walking out, others coming
in, as it suited their fancy here ant
there mother casting a sorrowful, for
lorn look at her departed little one, but
| few-very few-seeming affected by the
| occasion which had called them together
After a service which lasted about a.
hour and half, the lids were replaced Oh
the coffins, and they were borne from tn,
church to the graves, the different compa
| MES following in crowds, at good stiii
walking pace, the majority talking anc
laughing in such a manner as would ut
terly confound our quiet, sober-minded
people at home. The body is brought 10
the grave and deposited in the ground
without further ceremony little eartl'
is thrown in on the coffin by all who take
part in the melancholy Office there are u
few hysterical shrieks-and thus the pro
ceedings at the cemetery terminate,
| For the invited, the day winds
up with carousal at the house OF
the deceased, the nature of the feast o.
course depending on the means at the dis
posal of the host. 1t is singular to re
mark how very faint are the signs OF
grief discernible among the crowd OF
Russians assembled to pay the last mark
of respect to departed relative or friend.
| have observed, as a general rule, that
the Russians are easily excited, and show
almost convulsive signs Of joy or sorrow
| in the first moments of ecstacy and de.
spair; but so soon as this fit has passed,
their equilibrium is restored with a
promptitIde really extraordinary. An
example of this came under my observa
ton on the occasion of which am writ
ing. A woman, whose parent was just
about to be consigned to the grave, fell
at once into state bordering on convul.
sions, screaming and wringing her hands,
a. if in a paroxysm of despair, and re
quiring the assistance of two or three OF
the attendants to help her to keep hel
feet. Not two minutes afterward the
same woman was calling out in an ele
vated tone of voice to some of her friend:
at twenty or thirty yards distance, giving
orders IN the most business-like manner
as though nothing uncommon had JUS