Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-06-04
a RoyAL. Kp,sssA, NsEsEt.GE.
Nnpt ais of the Grand Duke Ce,,.ssan.
zine and Pri.acess Elizabeth.

e Petersburg Dispatch TO London Sta tlard AYr IS
The marriage CT the Grand Duke Constantine
and Princess Elizabeth. of SAKE Altenburg, was
celebrated to-day with imperial splendor 1t
gave the capital q fOretaste OF What may be ey-
Eected on the 18th of JGae when the EmDerOrs
brother. the Grand Duke Sergius. will be united
to Princess Elizabeth. of Hcsse Queen Victoria $
gTandchild- The ceremony took place in the
Winter Palace, where the diplomatic corps and
the court assembled at 12:30 O'Clock the Russian
ladies wearing the picturesque national dress
and the gentlemen the brilliant uniforms for
which the Russian court is famous. When all
had assembled. the diplomatic corps filed off
into the cnnrch. salvO Of 81 guns from the
opposite fortress announced that their imperIaI
rlajesties had left thei: private apartments and
that the ceremony YVES about to Begin
Tie procession through the last saloons OF
the palace was GaZziing in the extreme. the
emperor and empress being followed by no
fewer than SO princes and princesses. members
or connections of the ROnanof family iucIu-
ding the queen of Greece and the august con-
PIE about TO be married. As in the case of the
Grand Duchess Marie. the wife Of the Grand
Iuke iadimir, the marriage was celebrated
first according TO the rites of the Greek Ortl,o-
dcX church. and then after the Lutheran ritual.
When their majcsties and the rest of the cortecp
had been blessed with the cross and holy wate
by the archbishop of NCYrorod the emperor
his usual place. His maeSty's confessor placed
the rings on the finger CT the bride and bride
groom, and the marriage service commenced
the symbolic crowns being held over their
heads by members the Imperial family who
relieved each other in turn
When the service was over the grand duke
leu his wife. who had on Z rich white dress with
train OF crimson velvet tordered with ermine
ard diamond crown on her head. to make
their aCknOvicdg meGts to their majeStieS and
to his august parents; while tie fun choir in
tened a lie Heun." and tie cannon thundcred
q royal salute across the river. The cCytcre
was reformed. and passed into the Alexandria
hall. whore an altar had been raised. and the
Lutheran ceremony took place. the ra~tJr of
tie German church OfSt. Petersburg officiating
Inc company then dispersed. the imperial
family retiring to their private apartments until
1:3D o'clock. when magnificent BANQUET was
served IOa>tS We're drunk to the eTnpcrOr and
empress, the newly married couple the rest Of
lie family. ard h-aly TO the CLERGY and all loyaI
subjects. Each toast was herslded Fy a flourish
oitrunpef5 and followed b. salutes from tie
fortress.
Tonight will he held the so-ca,e(: I;cu. 1T
which. however. there is no dancing. bet a
stately pOiOnaise. in which the Emperor will
lead ont his imperial relatives and each Of the
ainbaSSadrcSSeS in turn. Finally their males
ties and lii" whole court will proceed i'm state
carriages, escorted 10y the cavalry of the guard
down the quay to the Marble Palace. where the
newly married couple will De installed The city
will be Illuminated. and the bells of all the
churches will ring for three days Sir Edward
and Lady ThorntOn and the staff OF the English
embassy were present at the marriage: but they
are precluded from joining in the festivities,
owing to the recent death Of the Duke of Al
bany.