Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-04-23
4 Eaucus sororatie1.
THE CEREMONIES BY WHICH PETER THE
GREAT AND IVAN WE'RE CROWNED.

Eugene Schuyler In Scribner.l
On the evening of July t. 1862, there
was q grand vesper service in all the
churches, and especially in the cathedral
of the Assumption, where it was cele
| brated by the Patriarch kir Soachim, at
tended by all the superior clergy. During
the night square platform, raised on l.
steps. WIS erected in the middle of the
cathedral, immediately under the dome,
and covered with crimson cloth. From
this platform 10 the clancel the pave
ment was spread with red cloth, on which
two stripes of scarlet were laid for the
Tsars, and stripe of blne velvet for the
patriarch. On each side were raised
seats for the clergy. covered with Per-
sian carpets and cloth of gold. On the
centre platform double throne was
erected. There had not been time to
make entirely fresh rcgalia for the double
coronation, and the silvered gilt throne
of handsome workmanship made for the
Tsar Alexis was divided by Il bar i'll the
middle, 50 that it could he used by the
two boys Behind seat was placed, so
that the monitor of Peter. through the
hole in the back. could whisper To to him
the necessary responses. The crown,
sceptrc and globe. originally present
from Constantine Munomachus emperor
of the East. to the Grand Duke Vladimir
of Kcif. had been initiated i'll smaller size
and al least less expense for the nse of
Peter. The old historic ones. with which
all the Tsars had been crowned. were re-
served for Ivan This was the last time
they were ever used The successors of
Peter were cmpcrors, not Tsars, and the
crown and pectoral cross Of Monomachus.
the visible symbols of the relations o. the
Muscovite Tsar to the emperors of Con-
stantinople, are now mere curiositics III
the imperial treasury at Moscow. On the
left side Of tins throne Wa. 4, third throne
for the patriarch, The spiritual emperor.
This, too. was used for the last time.
The power of the clergy WIS To be dimin-
ished and the rule OF the patriarch to be
broken.
In the chaEcel were placed SIX reading
desks, two lower than the rest, covered
with satin embroidered with jewels. on
which were to he placed the crown and
sceptre and the pectoral cross of Mon
omachus, containing Il relic of the true
cross.
At the first dawn of the day on july
the bells began 10 ring ioyfully, and there
WAS Il great procession of the clergy from
all the churches. At ) o'clock the two
boy Tsars went 10 the palace chapel for
mathis. and then i'll procession to the
banqueting hall. Here. i'll honor Of the
day. they promoted to the rank of boyar
Prince. Aiitii,i Pav.n.skv, Michael plcat
cheicf and Matthew Miloslavsky. Larion
Nhloslavsky and Zmeief were made
okolnitcli and llitpovo and Pusheichikof
appointed priyy councillors. The Tsars
wore long robes of cloth of gold covered
with lace and fringes. broad sleeves and
caps set with precious stones Not only
We're their robes cut from the same piece,
but the candles they held were of the
same length. that there might Dc no IN
equality. Select boyars were then sent
to the treasury to fetch the cross, the
crown, the sccptres and the other reCalia,
which were brought III by priests and
then carried to the cathedral of the As
sumption, where they were received by
the patriarch and the superior clergy on
gold dishes and placed on the lecterns
prepared for them. On entering the
banqueting hall the boyars Informed the
Tsars that all WAS ready and then Il long
procession beginning with the inferior
officials, rising to the highest boyars,
then to the Tsars and gradually diminish /
ing again To the petty officials and mobiles /
went slowly down the red staircase
from the banqueting hall to the cathedral /,
of the Assumption ovcra path made on
the pavement 10y crimson cloth. which /
WAS sprinkled by priests with holy water, |
through the dense masses of the populace |
which filed the whole square. At the |
entrance of the cathedral the Tsars were
met 10y the patriarch, who wished them
long life and held them the cross 10 kiss.
After kissing the great picture ON the
altar screen. especially the Virgin paint
ed by St Luke, the Tsars TOOK their
places on the platform. Standing here
i'll this old cathedral, crowded with their
subjects, the gilded walls and pillars
of which, lighted up by ilickering can
dies, displayed the rude pictures Of saints
and martyrs; under the great central
dome, from which looked down the gigan-
tie image of our Savior, with hands up
raised i'll the act of blessing, the Tsars,
after rccitng the story OF their accession
to the throne, demanded uf the patriarch
the rite of conservation and coronation.
The patriarch III reply asked to what
faith they belonged. They answered:
''To the holy orthodox Russian faith,
and set forth i'll Il long speech the good
which they expected to do Ia their peo-
pie Then, alter hymns and prayers and
swinging of censers, the patriarch placed
on their heads the crown uf Monomachus,
threw over their shoulders the coronation
vastmcnta, placed ON their breasts the
pectnrai cross. gave the sceptres and
glohcs into their hands. and tlIcn. when
all had again taken their seats, ascendcd
the Bulpit and preached "A srrmpn mon
the mutual duties of I'sar and people
Then followed the mass, during which
the lsnr, in signs Of their hang priests
rs well rs kings, went within the chanccl
behind the altar screen, and administered
to themselves the eucharist with their
own hands When the service was over
the Tsars again kissed the true cross,
the relies and the holy picture, and with
the mobiles went in procession To the
cathedral of tine Archangcl Michael,
where they paid reverence Ia the tombs
OF their ancestors, the Tsars who are
buried there. and especially To- that of the
Tsmsevitch Dimitri, who had already
been canonizcd, and Of whose death re
cent events must have often made them
think. From there they went to the
cathedral OF the Annunciatiun, then to
the bnnquetlnG hall of tn, palace, where
they received congratulations. Two
days later occurred the great oilicinl han
| quet OF the coronation.
SPRING,
~ EiEI WHO'S
The hlouiruuJ t"lt i iitit. sweet rluR.
partridge 'sin his drumming.
Bu-ily seeking 10 and irr
The golden hccs lrN humIHiuE.