The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-04
monks and Nuns In Russia.


Writing Of Russian nuns nearly forty
yfur- Hcu. VI. H. Cu~'.u" gave thru % charm ter
for tl" most dIs-oluir morals. They Wore rs
hii th"n d. .ine uf tnoir FIR n n sisters IA tho
SHNrut 'tn NTH c"Atury. Gni il"y hus" n1 inn
proved sInrc. Thcr" are only atuut 1000 of
them IN Che whole empire ~ against 1900
about $50 MONKS np"c"; tw' OF the iirsi ls-
nGnua rifS have more tuan 100 sisters nut
many rouniry-irwn couvrniuW institutions
iN'@t hul l"ur .rlnr- or nuns VINO are All : iah-
dulousiy int aui rich.
Originally II mnn could only become n monk
at 80 and u woman a nun at ~; and ppstu lnntR
for orders were Obliged 10 prov" TINT they We're
Of nuhl" or ecclesiastical family hut nothing IL
required now hut y knowledge Of reading aud
writing. Vows may Toe reeautrd after fornali-
ties. which can he much sirlhiiird hy a bribe.
Ca the Other hand. monks and nuns are con-
strained To c"lihary; wnat property they pos
-rs-"d ~ civilians go,s 10 their heirs. and II
they reenirr ,ivl life they are drbarrsd during
Crown lnh'rlting or buying lHni or lnhhbitrng
the CITIES of ST. Petersburg and Moscow, Tia"
black clergy are wealthy. powerful, and AFRO
giant. Int pariths for all that.
All the high dignitares Of tho Church-metrO-
polltAn-, hrrini- ops, hr'hlinHidritl's. hhhnts.
and prlur--arr chosen from umon. the monks
and III" nuns can rise 10 such dlEn It's NJ
ahl"s-'s. rriorss :, aud holy mothers. II II
computed fht the ahhsis 81 the four grcnt
iuouuSts rirS goo 'hei fbnunu year apiece, aud
ihosr Of the smaller manifestations NJ lon-t 10000.
The Ahi"s-.s are equally well on. About a year
aEo on" Who had held hrr office ten years
created scandal hy going of io Franz" without
leave To ~ married. She had anas~ed NOR"
than million of rouhl-s
AlltIiS money t. rlrnrdt through gross snurr-
~ ton. MONKS and nuns soil tup"r-. holy
relics. images. Wrddiug rings and ludu...rncrs
they soil PRAYERS, blessings, ANA the right Of
burial WITHIN monHstrrirs. viii b wealthy
Russians priz' hiEi Is and Tor Whlrh thry pay
by sums h"quen1hed Ia their wills. Then the
monks ar" sturdy h"ggnrs and II ~ considered
nm ucky to nd ia IN away empty handed.
They have been known tprall upon fashionable
gamblers who were reported tu have won large
is ~ rnrds Hnd upon op rh -nnesir"-~"n VINO
had been lucky in the matter ot diamonds. No
one car,s 10 ross them. Tor II il tru" IN Russia
to-day thai II ylu do but speak lll 81 "A irlar :
dog You hHNr "a thousand MONKS railing AT
yuu." f. mouAsti' properly had remained IN
violate the Russian orders would 10y THIS time
own hail the lnud in Tine country: hui Potter the
Great Elizabeth, and Catherine ii. all lald ruth
j - hands upon their estates. ANA Tor THIS
reason monks no longer car" Tor Auds.
i "A lady of rank tails ~ nun presents her-
self lbs nurse. AMI j. ndHltfDd without pnrlry
hr'ausc public opinion would drH Us" the lady =
husband of hnurtl'-4 indifference tu his wiie'-
recovery ii be- turned away II woman wnusf
pr ."urn would bring twin blessing INTO tn
house. Thn nun docs no nursing tut Sh" teods
well. munIiln- some prayers hy the ptl"nl
hrd0liH. an. works upon her snprrSilltous
trrrpr-. Before size leaves the house III" nun
Knows ull aNuui li~ Germs. ana tht KNOW
rdg" IT. -'. On r1uN nN"t Boo tho poll D." onic" 80 II
lS Win th" nlNhhs VINO visit nuSptHls, talrS
schools, and barracks, Eu~Sians urr aunt,
| Hwura That tho intiolahility of confess IN as
| Understood hy their clergy but especially bl
the black clergy, Is Il mock"ry.