The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-05-17
TIE CARS CORONATION.
Historical Notes of the Origin of the Csrs-
mony of Its Celebration.

Historical Notes of the origin of the Csrs-
mOny of Its Celebration.
The first Russian Car who introduced the
ceremony OF coronation into Russia was the
mighty John Ill. or Ivan III. (I461 -IsoS),
the contemporary of our Edward ~, Rich
ard ILL.,, and Henry VII. He married
Sophia, the niece Of the very last Imperial or
thodox Emperor Of Constantinople, and by
this marriage claimed a sort OF succession to
the first Christian Cesar 1t was in his reign,
when the Turk became master Of the Ancient
Capital Of Eastern Christendom, that the
Kings Of Western Europe seem hrstro have
become aware of the rise OF the powerful new
Christian monarchy in Eastern Europe, and
began to send Ambassadors to Moscow. Ivan
did not crow n himself, but in 1898 solemnly
invested his grandson, Demetrius, with the
Imperial Christian disdem and robe which
had been brought from Constantinople, and
had been worn by the Caesars Of the Eastern
Empire.
The ceremony of JUNCTION at the coronation
was aiterward introduced by Ivan w., or
"The Terrible" and has since remained as il
had all along been in Western Europe, an in
separable adjunct of the coronation. Ivan
". was the first Gar who received the
Eucharist at his coronation. Michael 1heo-
drovitsch insisted upon being Amounted, not
only on his forehead and over his lips, but on
his beard also, after the biblical precedent. In
earlier times the clergy of the Russian church
played greater part than they do at present
in the coronation ceremony. As il was held
almost indispensable alike in England, France
and Germany that the National Prmates, the
Archbishops Of Canterbury, Rheims and
Mainz, should ''consecrate" the national mon
arch to his office, SO it was in Russia with the
Patriarch of Moscow. The prelate was sup
posed to be the peculiar steward and minister
Of the sracramental rite of coronation. He
gave the divine confirmation and JUNCTION to
the presumed free choice of the people. The
voice Of the people was thus supposed to be-
come the voice of God. The notion OF di-
vine right inherent in the head OF reigning
family was comparatively late conception
in Russia. as we'll as in the West. This APP
pears, however, to be the predominant notion
both of the Russian Cars and the Prussian
Kings. The present German Emperor took
the crown from the altar and placed 1t upon
his own head. Similarly in Russia the repre-
sentatives of the church now play quite a sub
ordinate part in the coronation of the Cars,
being little more than ministering servants
and assisting spectators. Formerly the Mus
covite Patriarch stood in much the same rela-
ton to the Moscovite Monarch as the Roman
Pope stood to the Roman Emperors through
out the Middle Ages. The thrones of the
Gar and the Patriarch stood upon an equal
level and the Russian secular and ecclesiasti-
cal chieftains represented the ancient theory
of "rhe Two Swords"
The coronation of the Gar Alexander ILL.,,
will, it is thought be the grandest and most
magnificent ceremony Of this kind ofthe pres
ent century. Besides the festivities in the
Kremlin, the great fetes for the people will
be one of the most interesting parts of the
coronation programme. The enormous
Chodvnsk plains are now the scene Of the
most busy preparations. Booths, tents, bar
racks, and all other components of a great
Russian fair are being erected, with stands
for the spectators, and an imperial pavilion
opposite to the Petroffsky palace from which
the Car and the court can survey the entire
field and the populace at their amusements.
AT least 400, 900 persons will be present.
Drink and food for the people will be dis
tributed from 40 decorated railway baggage
cars, transformed into temporary bars and
drawn up in one long row. Every guest will
receive an earthenware Jug stamped with the
imperial eagle and the date of the coronation,
with which he can call for his beer and mead.
The Massenniknod factory at Moscow has
furnished 4oo, 900 of these jugs in different
sizes and colors. Furthermore, every person
will receive two meat pies, candles, dried