The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-06-01
ALEXANDER III. CROWNED.
Proclaimed Gar of Russia Amid Scenes OF
Imperial SplendOr.

Alexander Ill. was coronated car of
Russia at the Kremlin in Moscow, the cere-
monies being nvestedwithimperial splendor.
When the imperial procession started it was
made known to those inside the cathedral by
the renewed ringing of bells, by sonorous
music from scores of bands, and by the
shouts of those outside. As the royal pair
appeared at the doors of the palace the i'm
mense multitude Immediately uncovered
their heads and burst into loud acclamations.
Even the women were bonnet bare, and the
enthusiasm was as unaffected as it was
spont lneous and hearty. At the head of the
royal procession, which now entered the
Kremlin, was the master of ceremonies,
fianked by heralds, richly clad and mounted
upon pure white horses. 1t was of
immense length, and comprised depu-
ties from the Asiatic states of the
empire, Students of the university, the
clergy, judges, the nobility and projects
from every section of tie empire. When its
front rank reached the doors of the palace it
was met by the emperor, wearing the white
uniform of a colonel of the imperial guards,
and by the empress, dressed in the Russian
national costume of black velvet, richly en-
broidered with diamonds, her zone girdled
with a magnificent belt of precious stones.
The empress leaned on the arm of her royal
consort. The pair placed themselves beneath
a canopy richly wrought in silk and gold and
borne by thirty-two generals of high mill
tary rank. They then took their places near
the head of the procession, being directly
oftnrtba raoaI;n A. tbis ont tLa ,,t,.o
body of the clergy emerged from the cathe-
dral in order to meet the regalia, which they
publicly sprinkled with holy water and per-
fumed with incense.
On entering the portals of the cathedral
the emperor and empress were received by
the metro p%olitan of Moscow. The metro
p~olitans of Novgorod and Kieff presented to
them the cross to be kissed and sprinkled
with holy water, first the emperor and then
the empress. Before the sacred images,
which fianked the doors of the cathedral,
they knelt and bowed their heads, after which
they were conducted to the ancient thrones
of ivory and silver. Alexander occupied the
historical throne of the Gar Vladimir Mono
mague, while the empress was seated in
an armchair gilded and inorlsted with
jewels. The thrones were placed upon a
dais erected between the two middle columns
of the cathedral. Over the dais was a
canopy of scarlet velvet, suspended from the
arched roof, embroidered with gold and
lined with silver brOcade, which was worked
with the arms of Russia and all her Deepen
denotes in a most ingenious manner In
front of the thrones were two tables covered
with gold cloth, upon which were placed the
crowns, the orb and the scepter. None but
foreign princes were accommodated with
seats. The Russian princes and dignitaries
stood during the entire ceremony, according
to the custom of the Greek church. The dig
nitaries of the realm who were carrying the
standard and seals of the empire took their
| stand upon the steps of the dais. After
their majesties had been seated, the metro
politan of Nov. orod asked the emperor, in a
loud, distinct voice, Are you a true be-
lever ~ The emperor, falling on his knees,
read in reply, in a clear voice, the Lords
Prayer and the Apostles Greed of the Greek
church, the metropolitan responding 90 May
the grace of the Holy Ghost remain with
thee" and descending from the dais. The
following customary summons was then
three times repeated by the bishop:
IF there be any of you here present know
ing any impediment for which Alexander,
son of Alexander, should not be
and Autocrat of All the Russias
(here followed the naming Of ffty-six titles
which attach only to czars), "let him come
forward now, in the name of the holy Trini-
ty, and show what The impediment is, or let
him remain dumb forever"
itO vi SClCCtlOLb " viz 1ONDtl tiC
metropolitans of Novgorod and Kieff again
assembled the dais and invested the emperor
with the imperial mantle of ermine, the
metropolitan of Moscow saying at the same
time: Cover and protect thy people as this
robe protects n covers thee" The emperor
responded: twill, Twill, / will, God helping.'
The metropolitan of Novgorod, crossing his
hands upon the head of the emperor, then in
voked the benediction of Almighty God upon
him and his reign, and delivered to Alexan-
der III. the crown of Russia, who placed it
upon his own head, and, assuming the scepter
and orb, took his seat upon the throne. he
then returned the insignia of his title to the
dignitaries appointed to receive them, and
called the empress, who knelt before him.
lie touched her head lightly with the crown
of the emperor, and then formally crowned
her with her own crown. The expression
and the attitude of the empress as she knelt
was one OF sympathy with her royal nus
band, and touched deeply the audience. The
car preserved throughout a grave and
decorous dignity and a nobleness of demean-
or, which also provoked the admiration of all.
After the empress a been duly invested
with the imperial mantle and heir males
ties were both seated again on their thrones.
the archdeacon ntone the imperial titles
and sang domino salvum fac impera-
torem," which was taken up INT thrice re-
peated by the choir. Directly this part OF
the ceremony was finished the bells in all
the churches OF MOSCOW rang out IN chorus,
a salute of 10l guns was fired, and inside the
cathedral the members of the imperial Jam
lily rendered their congratulations to theIr
majesties. The emperor then knelt and
recited a prayer, at the end of which the
clergy and all present knelt before the en-
peror. The bishop of Moscow said aloud, in
behalf of the nation, a fervent prayer for
the happiness of their maiesties. Shouts OF
"Long live the emperor p then rent the
cathedral and were taken up by thousands
outside and carried from mouth to mouth,
until that part of the multitude who were
unable to get inside even the ample acreage
of the Kremlin caught the sound and waved
it in a huge volume of human graduation tC
the remotest parts of the city, where it was
speedily known that another car of the
Russias had been crowned.
The cathedral choir then sang the TIE Deum
after which the emperor ungirt his sword
and, accompanied by the empress and nu
L.