Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-05-25
Easter in Russia.
Mrs. A. II. Leonowens in Youths Compan.
ion.

Mrs. A. II. Leonowens in Youths Compan'
ion.
Easter week is celebrated with all pos,
sible grandeur in all the cities, greatan
small, Of the Russian, and especially il
Moscow.
On Holy Friday just before midnigh'
twelve priests, headed by the metropo
Titan, or archbishop of Moscow, clothed
inlong black robes, with tall black cap.
and long pendant black wells, repair tt
the cathedral chanting a low andsolemn
requiem for the dead Christ. They enter
the cathedral, which is wide open, and
surround the symbolic tomb of Christ,
which is covered with a huge black vel
tiful fringe of precious stones. Here
they suddenly cease chanting. All is
| still and dead.
But suddenly the thirty-two great bells
of the kremlin begins to toll for the dead
Christ, and far and near the five hum
dredcathedral churches and m%onasteries
Of Moscow answer with their deep-toned
bells.
All the chief members of every Rus
sian family are up and dressed, waiting
this solemn summons; each and all, fur
nished with white flowers, wend their
way to the cathedrals. All are sad and
silent; down the cheeks of many large
tears may be seen flowing n after an
other, in memory Of him who died for
| them.
The patriarch points to the closed
tomb, and repeats in touching language
the old, old story Of Christ's cruel death
on the cross, His agonies, His death and
hI1rio0 Altar uybicb tho noo~1a Inv Cav.
al offerings round about the tomb, and
with kiss after kiss, and innumerable
crossings and knockings of their fore
heads on the pavement, they return as
they came, sad, silent, detected, to their
homes.
Once more on Easter eve at midnight
the priests repair in gorgeous robes,
through a brilliantlv-lighted one might
say almost flaming city, to the great ca
thedral.
The great cannon first booms out, fol-
lowed by all the cannon in the city, then
the great bell of Joan, followed by all
the bells far and near, rings out again a
joyous, stirring, laundering peal.
Now all Moscow is up and astir. With
lighted tapers in their hands and robes
the churches, which are closed. Around
them, on small benches, multitudes of
small loaves are laid, waiting to be
blessed by the priests.
The procession is headed by the arch
bishop and nearly three hundred priests,
bearing crucitixes and burning censers;
these again are preceded by hundreds
of boys robed in white, bearing torches
and banners. This magnificent process
sion marches round the cathedral three
times, chanting with loud voices. After
the third circuit they all halt before the
great cathedral door, which is still closed.
The archbishop strikes the door, then
with a censor scatters incense over it.
All at one the doors fly open; the eff
feet being magical beyond description,
Then the immense throng of Worship
pers, bearing ~innumerable ,,tapers, form
enters, followed by the priests, choris-
tiers and the vast assembly,.
Amid a burst of light and song, all fall
PROSTATE and worship, crossing them
selves. Then the holy screen, or mys-
| teal door, is hurled back, and 10! the lu-
minous picture of the risen Saviour
CLEANS upon the multitude with an ex-
preston of divinest pity.
With all their souls in their eyes, they
gaze in rapt wonder and love on that be-
loved face, and cross themselves again
in lowliest alteration. This done, the
whole congregation embrace each other
three times, with the words, "Christos
Vokres-Christ hath arisen,' and the re-
ply, "No istine voskres-in truth he has
arisen"
Finally, placing their tapers-em-
blems of their burning loye-betore the
sacred eikons, or pictures the multitude
return home to feasting and merriment.
All that week the people kiss and en-
brace each other, cheering one another
just as did the early Christians in the
primitive times of Christ's church, and
their hearts beating and burning within
| them at this easter time with the words,