Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-02-21
ALEXANDER LII.
Ceremonies Proposed for His COrr0,
milton,

Ceremonies Proposed for His COrrO'
nation.
The ceremonies observed at the coro-
nation of Alexander III will DO repeated
at that of Alexander III. The thrones
used in 1856 by the emperor and
empress were those of John III, and
Michael Feodorowitch, which have
served at all coronations since that OF
Peter the Great. The officiating pre-.
lates were the archbishops OF Moscow
and Novgorod, who commenced the
ceremony by blessing the holy banner
of Russia, that of our Lady of Kiow,
the spoarhead of which is made out of
piece of the "true cross" The ban.
ncr, having been sprinkled with holy
water, was presented to the emperor,
who waved it thrice before the congro.
cation and then restored it to the
primate. His majesty then knelt while
the imperial mantle of silver and
ermine was adjusted to his shoulders.
Next he rose and stood upright, while
the sword of John III, was being girt
around his waist, and the scepter, with
its orb, was placed in his right hand.
Finally he sat down to have the massive
crown set upon his brow. After this
the empress knelt before her husband,
who removed the crown from his own
head and laid it for all instant on hers.
Another and smaller crown was then
put upon her majesty's brow by her
ladies, who at the same time covered
her with mantle like the cars.
Throughout these ceremonies prayers
were said and canticles sung by the
clergy and choir of three hundred
voices, but there were no acclamations
from the people, for tile car was not
yet anointed.
The making Of car "the Lords
anointel' is the most important part
of the service. It is done in this wise
The archbishop of Moscow, holding q
silver bowl full OF holy oil, in which "a
fragment of the crown of thorns' has
been immersed, takes golden palm
branch aud dipping it into the oil,
touches with it the cars brow, his eye
lids, ears, lips and the palms of his
hands, after which attendants open the
monarch's vestments so as to lay an
inch OF his chest bare, and the arch
bishop traces q cross on the skin with
the oil. When this has been done the
clergy PROSTATE themselves before the
car, the choir strikes up q glorious
"Te Deum," and the congregation burst
into an immense reclamation. This is
the end OF the ceremony in the cathe
dral of the Assumption; but the car
and czarina have now two or three
hours more to spend in going with all
their insignia upon them to the abbey
churches OF st. Michael and the Annul'
citation, and thea to all the OTHER
churches and charels in the kremlin to
pay their devoticns to the icons and
relics and to give aims. 1t is mosI
fatiguirg day Tor tho imperial couple,
and their religious duties ore not fully
discharged when the duty closes, for
custom requires that about a week after
the coronation the car and his consort
shall make o pilgrimage to the holy city
of Kew and visit the catacombs.
A coronation is always sisnalizad by
acts OF imperial CLONE cy, and in this
respect the ukase issued by Alexander
Ii, on the 7th OF Sep umber, 1876, le-
mains memorable. 1t granted COM
plote amnesty to all the political
offenders OF 1925 2G and of the Polish.
rebellion OF 1881 who were still in exile
or in prison; also pardon to press
offenders, military dorau,ters and to
about five thousand other individuals in
jails. The empire was entirely exoner-
ated from military CONSUMPTION during
term OF four years. A new and more
equitable assessment OF the poll tax was
decreed. Nest ofthc disabilities which
weighed upon Jews were removed.
Thou 2ands of crowns serfs were manu-.
mitted and received grants o. land.
Finally, the children of soldiers who,
under the former riegn, bad been
brought up by the State to enter the
army We're restored to their parents.
These truly wise largessas evoked the
most cordial popular gratitude, inso-
much that the car began his reign as
the peoples darling. He was so well
aware of this that he conceived the
srandiose idea of giving banquet to
100000 OF his poorer subjects from
Moscow and the adjacent villages in the
plains around Petrowski. Preparations
Were made for this amazing feast by
covering a square mi Q with tables, and
the tables with hunks Of beef, bread and
casks of kwass. Unluckily, the impu-