Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-03

The Emperor and Empress OF Austria
Washing the Feet OF the Poor.
Vienna Letter % the Ny. World.

Vienna Letter 20 The n. Y. World.
The grand ceremony Of washing the feet Of
twelve cid men and twelve old women was per-
Termed IN the burg palace yestes day, Good Fri
day, by the Emperor and Empress The cere-
meny was instituted to remind their Imperial
Majesties at least once year that Christ had
humbled himself by doing this mental service
fer his disciples. At eleven o'clock In the morn
Ing the poor old men and women were con-
iucied into the Grand Hall Of Ceremonies.
where they were seated at two long boards
dechei IN the splendid fashion customary
for regal or imperial guests. The old people
Could hardly be told asundeT; they were dressed
Almost atsSe ia dark pilgrim gowns OF cloth and
iar"e fest hats. If ii were not for snowy boards
flowing down the breasts Of a few OF the old
men, y0a could not distinguish their procession
from that Of the women. When they were all
seated the high dign,taF.es of the court took mp
their places along the marble walls, and the
master OF ceremonies gave sign that their
| matest'es, preceded by & g clergy. were coming.
The Crown Priace and all the Archdukes pfeG-
ent at Vienna accompanied the Emperor. Tire
Crown Prince ard the AIcduchesses preceded
the Empress. FGx-hanting must be n means Of
OF preserving beauty. for Empress Elizabeth.
Notwithstanding her forty-six summers. is still
as handsome rs ever. She is very tail, and her
! graceful hearing was well displayed in q
tight black eatin dress with q long black
veil flowing down to her train. On her
breast she wore the diamond cross OF
decoration. Immediately be.,iad the Empress
entered the imperial steE ards and q great num-
Der OF pages bearing the Wards. which they
handed to the Emperor and Empress, who
placed them upon the board in frcnt of their
| AGED guests. 1t would strike you az ex9uisiteiy
ine0neruous to see the Emperor in his fine field
| marsiials Uniform the Empress in ell the
majesty OF her beauty and her unrivailed rank
standing behind the chairs Of those poor people
and waiting upon them. The Arctdukcs cleared
the tables, ard when the vands were removed
the real ceremony BEGAN. The Emperor and
Empress had the same task to pefOTm, except
that the latter washed the feet of the
wGmen, the former those of the men. The
Court narslials bore a golden ever and two
pa2es a golden basin aud al embroidered
towel, the Empress knelt down and Fprinksed
little water upon the feet of each old woman
which She dried. or pretended to dry, with the
towel, the chief priest reading aloud the thir-
teenth chapter of st. JOHN. In Latin. When the
washing was over q golden tray. with twenty
five bags. waa brought, in each of which were
thirty silver coins. the price for which the Sa-
v:eur was betrayed. Each Old man and each old
woman had the string of bag placed round his
or her meek by the Emperor or Empress, who
then withdrew with the same ceremony as they
entered The old men and women are never
peFn,itted to go through the ceremony second
(tiIne. This year the oldest man was nilety-nine,
the youngest eighty-eight and the women were
about the sane age. They are always brought
from their homes in the suburbs and taken back
again in splendid imperial carriages.