The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-05-31
STAUNTON, VIRGINIA, MAY 81. 1888.
The Coronation.

RuSSlaS
The coronation is the most brilliant GER
emory known to the world. 1t is always
performed in the Church of the Holy AS
sumption, within the walls Of the Kremlin
at Moscow. The great Kremlin is an oc-
tagon plot OF ground of many acres on a
high elevation, surrounded by high walls
and Notifications, and contains four crown
palaces, three cathedrals, the headquarters
of The Imperial Guards, the Governor s
residence a university and q number of
monasteres and nunneries. The appear
ance OF the Kremlin is very striking, as
the walls are white, the Notifications en-
the roofs Of the cathedrals gilded, the
whole forming wonderful combination.
The coronation procession begins to form
at the cavalry barracks, four miles distant
from the Kremln.
EARLY in the day appointed for the cere-
mony sixty heralds, mounted on cream
colored horses, and commanded by a mas
ter of ceremonies, appear before the gates
which the colonel of the regiment appears
and asks what they want Of him. 1.-THE
Gar commands thee to follow me, = is the
answer, and the gates are thrown open,
and the regiment, which has been expecting
the summons, gallops out and follows the
heralds. The heralds then proceed to the
barracks of the I4ancers, where the same
thing takes place then to the University :;
then to the Cathedral OF st. Nicholas.
Where the clergy join the procession then
to the law courts, where the Judges fallin ::
then to the headquarters of the marshals
of the nobility, the staff officers, the sew
eral professions, the governors. the pre-
fects, the Populations from every part of
the empire, the trade guilds etc, each
body joining at separate place, and all
being summoned by the heralds, as in the
first case. The procession goes on swell
ing until it reaches enormous proportions,
so much so that when the head Of it az
rives at the Kremlin, the tail is still at the
other end Of the town.
Arriving at the ST. Demetrius gate. they
find it closed. The heralds then blow
their trumpets and the commander of the
citadel appears and demands what they
want, to which the crowd replies
The Gar
And what for - asks the commander.
TO crown him the most powerful of
the powerful, is the reply, and the gates
fly open.
The Metropolitans of Moscow, Kazan,
Novgorod and Kieff here head the pro-
cession, and with the Populations from
every part of the empire, they advance to
the palace and form in front of it. These
Populations consist of Russians, Rouma-
mans, Kirghis, Chinese, Mingrelians,
Bashkirs, Poles, Georgians. Circassians,
Calmucks, Armenians. Turkomans. Tar
tars. EsquimauX, Afghans, Bulgarians,
Laplanders, Mongolians, Firms, Persians
and Bolharians. all in their respective ma
tlonal costumes.
The Metropolitans then advance and call
upon the Gar to come forward, upon
which he appears at the portico, dressed
rial Guards, with the Empress, dressed as
a Russian peasant. on his arm. The in
slant the Populations are aware of the
imperial presence they kneel, and being
asked by the Gar what they want Of him,
the Metropolitan of Moscow replies that
they have been sent from far and wide to
see their Gar Amounted so that they can
return to their homes and assure those
who sent them that the Gar is verify the
Lord S anointed, and that they may obey
none but him. Thence all proceed to the
Cathedral of the Holy Assumption, the
Gar and the Czarina walking between
the bishops and the Populations.
Arriving at the church the Gar and his
wife are shown to ordinary thrones near
those of the bishops, and the special SER
vice Immediately begins. After the first
lesson is read, the Metropolitans conduct
the Emperor and Empress to a canopy of
scarlet velvet, richly embroidered in gold,
the principal figure being the double
headed Russian eagle. Under this cano-
opy is an elevated platform upon which
are the historical throne of the Gar VIA
dimir MOnOmague and an ordinary arm
chair for the Empress, also a table upon
which are the sceptre and crown of Con
Stantinus MonomachuS, sword and a
mantle of ermine.
The mobiles now advance from the south
of the cathedral and, surrounding the
1lIa hai Ic
them at the feet of the Gar. The Bishop
Of Kazan then asks the Emperor in a loud
voice if he is a true believer, to which he
replies by reading the Lords Prayer and
the Apostles Greed of the Greek Church.
The Bishop next says
IF there be any of you here present,
knowing Of any impeachment for which
Alexander, son of Alexander should not
be crowned by the grace of God Emperor
and Autocrat Of All the Russias, of Mos
COW, of Kieff, of Vladimir, of Novgorod
Gar of Kazan, of Astrakhan, of Poland,
of Siberia, of Kherson-Taurida, of Grousi !;
Gousadar OF Pskoff Grand Duke of
Smolensk, Of Lithuania, of Volhynia, of
Podolia, and of Finland Prince of Astho-
mir of Livonia, Of CORTLAND, Of Semiga-
liza, of the Samo-oyedes, of Biclostok, of
Corelia, Of Foer, OF Ingor, of Perrin of
Viatka, Of Bulgaria and of other coun-
tries Master and Grand Duke of the
Lower countries in Novrogod of Tcherni-
| goff, of RiaZan, Of Polotsk, of Rostoff, of
Jaroslaff of Bieloserk, of Ondork, of OH
dorsk, of Konllisk, of Vitelsk, of Metilaff,
and off all the countries of the North
Master Absolute of Iversk, of K astainisk
of Kabardinsk; and of the Territory of
Armenia Sovereign Of Mountain Princes
Tcherkask Master of Turkestan Heir
Presumptive of Norway, and Duke of
Sleswick Holstein. Of Stormarn, of Dith-
marse, and Of Oldenburg-let him come
forward now, in the name of the Holy
Trinity, and show what the impeachment
l. is, or let him remain dumb foreverl"
This is repeated three times, and upon
no objection being raised, he lays his hand
upon the head of the Czar, who immedi-
ately kneels. At this point the Metropoli-
tan of Moscow takes the mantle of ermine
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