The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-08-09
Death and Funeral of the Greek
Patriarch of Jerusalem.

a correspondent of the " Y. Chris
tiar Advocate, writing from Jerusalem,
says:
On Friday last, June %, I saw the
strangest sight ever witnessed in my
life in the funeral of the Greek Patriarch
Orotheus, as nearly as can. spell his
name. 1t was a great funeral, as he was
a great man, being second greatest Greek
patriarch in the world, and second to
none in spiritual authority. In civil
sense, the Patriarch of Constantinople is
greater.
The Patriarch was injured by falling
from his horse, and died after lingering
for about two or three weeks. Seeing so
many people passing to and from the
Constantine Church of the Greek Con-
vent, we went to see what was the mat
ter. We found the deceased patriarch
clothed in the robes of his office, silk and
gold richly embroidered, seated upon a
throne facing the altar. Although he
was only sixty-fve years of age, he looked
very venerable with his long flowing
gray beard. He had golden crown
upon his head, with enameled settings on
four sides, representing the virgin, the
nativity, the resurrection, and ascension,
and surmounted by an elegant diamond
cross. His breast was covered with
golden crosses and precious stones. He
had "a crozier or sceptre of gold and silver
leaning against the throne, while in his
right hand was Testament, and in his
left picture of the Virgin and child.
Behind the throne was standing priest
reading continuously in Greek appro-
pirate passages for the dead. And from
early morning till 5 o'clock in the even
ing perfect stream of people were pass
ing back and forth, who would kneel,
kiss the patriaroh's hand, then the Tes-
lament which he held in it, and after
ward cross themselves and pass out. He
was quite a rich man before he became
patriarch, his fortune being 10000 Ma
poleons. This fortune he divided among
the poor, the Church, and his sister. He
was buried the same day he died, and
the funeral was quite a novel affair.
Just before the funeral a motley crowd
of Turks, Arabs, Bedouins, Nubians,
Jews, and representatives of almost every
nation, in almost every imaginable cos
tune, gathered on Mount Zion. First in
the procession came band of clarionets.
then band of brass instruments, PLAY
ing what | would consider a lively air,
and not the least novel, was an enormous
bass drum. Following the band were
quite number of students, with very
long hair, who were preparing for the
priesthood; then came the ordained
priests, then the Bishops, dressed in ele-
CANT cloaks. All, except the soldiers
who followed, carried candles draped
with black Grape. After the soldiers
came the Janissaries of all the consuls,
and of the different converts, in what
seemed to me very wild costumes, some
ting like our American Indians. Then
came Bishops bearing kind of lanterns,
and crosses Of silver and gold. An old
man, in very gorgeous dress, who, as
was informed, was next to the patriarch
himself, was bearing the deceased patri-
archs silver and gold sceptre. Then
came the body, in full dress as I had seen
1T IN the morning, with the crown on his
head, and seated on his throne, as if he
were alive. The procession made a
strange impression upon my mind, as
watched it slowly move toward the Zion
gate, and listened to the weird chanting
OF the priests. He was buried in a
sitting posture, along with about two
bushels of incense and myrrh.