Morning journal and courier., 1882-09-26
How the Czar is Crowned.

stone, with battlements cut out in the form of Tartar arrowheads, it's eighteen green tow | CTS, and it's five rose colored gates, is quite town in itself, containing three cathedrals, seven churches, monastery, a nunnery and three imperial palaces
 Let us speak first of the three most vene- rable sanctuaries, the cathedrals of the As- sumption, the Annunciation, and the Arck. like sheaf with golden ears, enclosed by an l iron railing that shows upon the white walls l it's great black net " ork.
 The Assumption is the Cathedral of Rheims, l the Westminster Abbey of Russia. Here the l Emperors crowned, and here is preserved ! the ancient throne of the Czars in carved l wood, known as the throne of Vladimir ! Monomaque. The pillars, arches and walls of this church which was built from begin ming to end by Italian architects in 1475, are ornamented by large Byzantine images of long bearded saints whose heads are shown upon background of gold These holy personages in their purple garments look like procession of Asiatic potentates silent and stern.
 The iconostasus of the Assumption is dazzling wall of jewelry, fabulous display of gold, of precious stones, of pearls and diamonds. To this wonderful wall are pended miraculous images of great antiquity virgins with dark eyes and brown skins that belonged to grand dukes and were brought from Novgorod, Pskof, Kiew and
 
 with precious stones that twinkle like little stars and shine like red sparks. Upon their garments and dalmatics of gold, topazes, sapphires, emeralds and rubies display mar velous embroi ieries that interlace each other like garlands of flowers. The miraculous image of the Virgin of Vladimir that ortho dox piety attributes to St. Luke wears a dia- mond necklace valued at 200, 900 roubles Emeralds as large as nuts are SC; in the massive golden crown of this Virgin. Close to the lconostasus canopy covers the chair of the Patriarch, and in front of it velvet tent marks the place of the Elm peror Lamps of silver and vermillion with hickering lights and great wax candles with their steady and soft jets are not sufficient to awaken the obscurity that sleeps under the sombre vaults of the old cathedral.
 The ceremonies of the coronation take \ place in this church with 8 pomp and ! splendor that are peculiarly Oriental. Be- | fore the Czar arrives the high priests with ! he cross, assisted by two deacons carrying ! holy water in basin of gold, sprinkle the \ passage that the Emperor is about to take ! Then, arranging themselves upon the steps | that surround the imperial platform sur mounted by canopy of crimson velvet \ with tassels and fringes of gold, come the grand dukes and grand duchesses, all the members of the imperial family, the diplo- \ matic corps, the high dignitaries of the
 
 eedizened with badges and cordons, mar { shals in brilliant uniforms, ladies of the court and young ladies of honor in the \ national costume, including the kah0ct7ath Ca golden diadem embroidered in gold or \ pearls), representatives of the merchants oi
 Ill the cities of the empire, most of them
 in blue or black gowns fringed in gold I deputations from Asiatic peoples allied tc I or subjects of the Emperor, Chinese,
 Mongolians, Tartars, Baskirs, Kalmuks,
 Khirgees, Boukharas, Circassians, Georgians ! Mingrelians, Laplanders, Esquimaux, Per | Sians Turcomans-a strange and wild mix
 ture of different races, half clad and armed
 some with bows or lances others with vat
 4gans with silver handles, or swords witt
 wooden hilts rudely carved.
 ! This dazzling and picturesque procession
 advances, preceded by platoon of guards of honor, with cuirasses of red clotl ! starred with silver, and by two mounted | heralds with gold embroidered brooades
 red velvet caps and maces. The !mperia ! arms, borne by high functionaries, ar' \ placed at the left of the throne upon { \ table with a cover of gold. Grouped il
 front of tho church under the porta ! draped with velvet, the clergy with crosses
 and mitres are resplendent in their chasu
 bles and dalmatics sparkling with gems \ The Metropolitans, led by the Metropolitan of Kiew, holding censers, await the arriva \ of the Emperor.
 At last the Czar appears. He descend the Red Staircase upon which Persian ! carpet, lowered with roses, is placed. Ht | wears the uniform of general of division ! with red trousers, and he walks under \ large canopy that puts over his head ! flock of golden eagles in blue sky.
 The Metropolitan of Moscow presents hin { the cross to kiss, while the Metropolitan O \ Novgorod sprinkles him with holy water \ The princes of the church conduct the Cza \ to the throne. Then the Metropolitan O ' ohcoI o1 Moic m.
 presents him with the orthodox profession o
 faith, which the Czar reads aloud, standin
 with his hand upon the guard of his sword After reading he receives the two Metropoli , ! tans of Kiew, who ascend the steps of tn ! throne and bring him the coronation mantle
 The Czar takes it from their hands an places it upon his shoulders. Then he bow | before the Metropolitan of Moscow, wh ! places his hands over him and recites pray CT.
 Finally, the Czar arises majestic and su ! perb. dressed in his mantle of brocade line with ermine, and, taking the imperial crow 3 sparkling with diamonds, he places it wit | his own hands upon his head. At this me ! ment the Empress advances and kneels be | fore her august spouse, who, taking off hi ! crown, holds it an instant over the forehea ! of the Czarina in token of her share in hi = ! omnipotence.
 ! In the courtyard of the Kremlin the car ! nons thunder. The three hundred churche l of Moscow ring their joy bells, and the vault { of the old cathedral are filled with songs c ! gladness and of triumph.
 :, The mass begins. The silver doors of th ! iconostasus are opened. The Archbishops C I Novgorod and of Kiew approach the Empe n TOT and inform him that all is ready for th l anointment The Czar descends from hi - throne The Empress accompanies him r the door of the sanctuary, the threshold ( Il which no woman can cross The Metropol :, tan of Moscow then dips in the vase ths u contains the holy oil the golden branch ths f l he holds in his hand, and anoints the ten |, ples, the eyelids the nostrils, the lips, tn 1 breast and the hands of the Czar while u | tering the words ''Behold the seal of th Q Holy Ghost" And after each holy unctio l. l the Metropolitan of Novgorod wipes ava n the traces. The ancient Czars for seven day
 used not to wash the parts of their bodie F that had thus been anolnted.
 :. Conducted to the altar, the Czar partake l. | of the communion, while the Empress, sti I kneeling at the door of the iconostasus, rt 3 ceives also the communion from the Metro n I politan of Kiew. With the crown upon hi
 head the new Czar departs through the mort . l portal passes between double row of Co n sacks armed with lances, and of Grenadie1 l with gilded helmets and amid the applaus
 of the populace enters the Cathedral of th
 Archangel St. Michael, where he kisses th f holy images, after which he re enters the al :, cient palace by the Red Staircase.
 The repast of the coronation is given ). the Terem. The Emperor and the Empress a served by the marshals of the court ct a alone. The superior officers, headed by tt
 chief marshal and escorted by officers of th guards with drawn swords. bring in tI > dishes that the Metropolitan bIesses one afte ,- the other. When the Czar wants to drinl d the diplomatic corps retires, walking bacl
 ward, and singers in gala costume, wit
 swords by their sides, advance and execute d during the rest of the repast, different piece n of the old Russian repertoire.