St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-06-22
Marriage in Russia.
A FASHIONABLE CEREMONY DESCRIBED

FASHIONABLE CEREMONY DESCRIBED
LOVE MATCHES THE RULE.
The Russians generally marry quite
young in the upper classes, and amongst
country people even at an earlier age and
to the honor of this society be it said, love
marriages are the rule, and marriages for
money are very rare exceptions. Dowry-
hunting and marriages of interest have
not yet made their appearance in Russian
manners. Girls of high social position
readily marry young officers of the guard,
who furnish the largest contingent of
dancers to the balls of ST. Petersburg.
During the carnival fetes the two armies,
the army in petticoats and the army that
wears epaulets, learn to know each other
thoroughly. Friendship springs up, the
young man pays court, and one day, with
out having consulted anybody, two frances
come to ask of the parents a blessing,
which is never refused. The church does
not marry during Lent, so they have to
wait until Easter week. Fashion demands
for the celebration of the ceremony the
chapel of some private house, if the couple
have not sufficiently lofty relations to Sc
cure the chapel of the palace. family
that respects itself ought to have at it's
wedding IS honorary father and honorary
mother, ifnot the emperor and empress,
at least grand duke and a grand duchess.
The honorary father gives the holy image.
which some little child related to the fam
lilies carries in front of the faDces. They
enter the church, followed by all their
friends in gala uniform. The ceremony
begins; it is very long, and complicated
with many symbolic rites small table
a sort of movable affairs placed in the
middle of the oratory; the couple are
separated from it by band of rose. colored
satin when the priest calls they must ad
vance, and the one who first sets foot on
the band whether husband or wife, will
be the one who will impose his or her will
in the household. This is an article of
faith for all the matrons who watch them
at that moment. On the table is placed
the liturgical formulary the candles which
they must hold, the cross which they will
kiss, the rings wht-l they will exchange,
the cup of wine in which they will moisten
their lips, and which is called in the Sla-
vonic ritual 'the cup of bitterness" Pages
relieve each other to carry with out
stretched arms two heavy crowns, which
must be held above the heads of the fiances
while the ceremony continues. At the de-
cisive moment, when the priest is pro-
nouncing the words that bind them to-
gether, the couple walk three times arou1 d
the altar, followed by the crown bearers;
until the third turn is completed there is
time to turn back after that the die is
cast the couple are united for life. There
upon the singers strike up in their most
strident voices the joyous hymn, "Let
Isaiah Rejoice" The bride and groom
then go and PROSTATE themselves before
the Virgin of the lconostase, and kiss her
fligree robe, after which they pass into
the neighboring salon, where they gaily
clink glasses of champagne, while the in
vited guests receive boxes of sweetmeats
marked with the monogram of the young
cou ple-Harper's Muoazine.