Wichita eagle., 1888-03-25
FROM THE CARS LAND.
IMAGES OF SAINTS HANGING IN NEW
YORK souoolRS
New York Bellies erase for Everything
RussiaD-what 'icons'' Arc-An. Object
of Great Religious yenerAtiop-Arsioles
of Curious Design.


Russian-what ''Icons'' Are-An Object
of Great Religious MISREPRESENTATION
of Curious Design.
With the craze for everything Russian the
New York bellies have taken 20 a3orning
tasir boudoirs with Ruz.an icons. and hang
ing lamps before then, that are generally
kept lighted To the uninitiased It Is well to
explain that icons are pictures OF the Virgin
ard child and the saints They abound
everywhere In Russia, from tbs PALACES 10 tho
hoveI. and are treated with extraordinary
veneratioa. The Russians, not being allowed
20 worship craven images, paint picture or
the saint or Madonna en- wood or canvas, and
then place over it what might De called
screen of silver or brass riclded or engraved
to represent the clothing. Holes are left 50
that the painted faces and hands show
through, and where the Christ child Is repre-
sented his feet are also sesn Full length fig
Cres OF the saints are permitted, but only
half length figure of the Virgin. and nude or
incomplssely draped figures are forbidden.
In the CatheSiral Of the Assumption, in the
krenlin, in which al the exars were crowned,
is the VladIuairski Mother, which Is attrib-
uted 70 St Lnka IL is supposed to have
saved Russia from the Tartars, and is adorned
with jewels valued at SIS, COO The face Of
the Mother Is very sweet one and the face,
I and oue band Of tia Child are seen This was
deposited in the most sacred of Russian cathe-
drals, represents exactly the side Of an SIN
cient palladium, and copy Of IL adorns tho
drawing room Of lady in this city, vho
brought j. with her from Russia
THE MOST vESERATEp ICON.
But the mos. important of all the icons,
and the most veaerassd, is tho Iberian Mother,
which was brought from Mount Athos, IN tho
time Of the Gear Alexis, about The middle OF
the Seventeenth century. The Iberian Mother
sits in the midst q gods and pearls, aid, like
ell Russian saints, has dark brown complex
ion. Round her bead is net Of pearls, on ono
shoulder largo jewel, another on her brow,
above which Is q brilliant crown Around
the picture are gold erocadod hangingS, On
which angels heads, painted on porcelain,
with silver wings, arc sewed, and the
whole is lighted by thirteen silver Tampa
Besides her face, her hands are sccn, and tho
face, feet and hands Of the child. Tho loon
/. is Of silver, large, aud has n heavy frame of
the same metal A little wound on the righs
check of the mother was inflicted by the
Turks, and scarcely had tho steel touched
the picture when the blood flowed This Ia
represented in every copy, At ali hours os
the day there are people proserating them
selves before this icon, and the Virgins hard
and Childs foot have been kissed 50 often
that, TO quote traveller, ''it Is no longer tho
hand and foot that are kissed, but tbs con-
crete breath Of the pious" The devotion II
/ the emperor 10 this veneratsd icon il really
q matter of political importance and bond
I Of affection between him and his reopie
! A copy of this icon, in brass, a fashionable
lady in this city has set up In her boudoir.
along with other souvenirs Of her Russian
trip, and the suspended brass lamp thu.
hangs before it is lighted on the occasion ef
an afternoon ''teas These icons in old brass
arc very valuable, hut ths modern ono
elmost worthless.
ARTICLES OF CURIOUS DESIGN.
/ Icons are scarce in this city, and probably
half dozen could not be found IN the shoTa
Inquiries at one commercial house brought
forth two that had boon carefully laid away,
wrapped In paper. These we're Of engraved
silver, about six inches by ton In size, full
lengths Of male saints, the fac-s and hand,
being beautifully painted The paiutings
which are complete under the silver, were
dono on wood, tho backs of which were Gov,
cred with purple velvet.
Fer the table the Russians do not much
fancy pure white silver, and tho ma torfty @,
articles In that metal thoy have giltod A
pitcher 10 this style, Of an antique model
! initiates tho eartheuwaro pitchors used by
the peasants, and covered ss they cover than
with birch bark. The cover they wind round
/ with O linen cloth, which Is in this cas-
I represented by the whitish silver. Another
/ pitcher, also Of silver gildcd. has a very
beautiful interlaoed design. which Is q favor
lite with the Russians.
A peCuiarity Of the Russians IN the irnpor
lance they attach 20 bread and salt, thsss
two articles playing prominent parts at ~et;
Ginsys and on all cereplouious occasions FoI
this reason they pay much attention 70 sali
cellars, and some Of the designs arc quit.
/ unique. A fsyorise design Is chair zhap.s.
/ 30 TO speak, the seat containing tho salt, ar1c
/ having q I'D on which h ia Hnzian, "Wishou
salt, withou: bread, only half neal an1
what may be called tha baek Of ID. ehail
/ being richly ornafnc.sed, sometimes hsv1ns
/ tho Russian coat Of arms at tho top. Such
| ons bad design Ia coiored suarsels, ID.
/ work being 10 tho byzantine style. Anothei
/ salt cellar, which might be assd as q drink
/ ing cup, WIS q silver and gilt cock abou
| eight inches high This bird b sItrcuelJ
/ popular II Rus!a, and enters largely int
| Ruznian decorations, sometimes tbs comb
bsak or talons being nsod II there b no roorr
! for norc-Eew York Mad and Exprcsa
Senate, ingalls,.