Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-03-05
pIoNYsIus V.
His Extraordinary Funeral-Eot Lying
In State, but sitting Upright.


One OF the most extraordinary spec
tacles which it has ever been my lot
to witness says Conssantinople cor
respondent of the New York Sun, was
the funeral here recently of his holt
ness Dionysius ". the pontifet maxi
mus Of the oriental Greek Orthodox
church. During forty-eight hours his
body lay, or rather sat in state before
the high altar Of the patrlarchal
church OF the Phanar. The scene
there was weird and impressive in tho
extreme. The sacred edifce was dim
ly lighted by number OF glimmering
oil lamps which enabled me with
some difficulty, and only after my eyes
had become accustomed to the gloom,
TO discern the figure Of the dead
patriarch
He sat on throne covered with
black velvet and silver tissues His
corpse was arrayed in the gorgeous
pontifical ve.tments. glittering from
throat to hem with priceless jewels.
On his head was placed the pontifcal
crown. all ablaze with huge diamonds
emeralds and rubiea. His glazed eyes
were wide open. and gazed with
the stony stare OF death straight down
the marble-columned nave OF the
church. His left hand clasped a gold
bound volume Of the Gospels, and his
right was appraised as if for benedic-
ton. Two black-robed priests NUT
tered prayers, kneeling on each side
of him, and now and again Greeks and
Armenians approached the dead pom
tiff and making low obeisance kissed
his icy fingers or the edge Of his vest
ments. Night had already set in when
/ turned TO go, and. as cast a last
lingering look on the imposing scene.
a broad moon ray, gliding through the
great stained glass window on the left
of the altar, illumined the rigid face
of the corpse lending to it an almost
/ supernatural spieudor. The mournful
+ tolling OF the bells followed my caique
! clesr across the Golden Horn with
sobbing, mufied sound which Yibrated
on the still and peaceful evening air.
| The following day the funeral took
/ place. 1t was signalized by extraor-
I binary and altogether unprecedented
I honors accorded by the sultan. His
I majesty had not only dispatched his
| minister of public worship Ria
Pasha, TO convey messages of regret
aud coincidence to the holy synod, but
had moreover. given orders for the
pUstponement OF the imperial regatta
which had been organized TO take
place on that day. The streets through
which the procession wound its way
we're lined on either side with soldiers
who presented arms TO the corpse as it
passed along. The dead pontiff was
not laid in a coffin, but was carried
seated on his velvet throne hy thirty
priests and deacons. wearing dazzling
vestments. His head was slightly in
clined to one side and he presented
the appearance of sad WEAKNESS rath-
err than that of death. Preceded
and followed by detachmenps Of
cavalry, the brilliant cortege
advanced through the crowded
street High dignltaries of the Greek
church, bearing ieweled chalices filed
> with consecrated wine and golden
salvers of sacramental bread. walked
before the corpse while four deacons
pore the SCepVFG the OFD, the CfOZler,
and the decorations OF the dead pa.
triarch on either side. Several Of the
cabinet ministers and of the leading
palace officials, such as MuniF Pasha
grand master of the ceremonies, anC
Mavroyeni Pasha, chief physician o
the sultan and brother of Mavroyen
Bey. now Ottoman envoy at Washing
ton, were among those following tn,
corpse. The rabbis of the Jewisl
rite and the diplomatic corps headed
by NJ. de Nelidoff, the Russian am
bassador in full uniform came i'm
mediately behind the Turkish officials
= Neither the Roman Catholic nor tn
Reformed churches were represented
The funeral procession started at
in the afternoon. and the sun was set
= ting when it reached the burial vault
of the ecumenical patriarohs at Ba
louklL On arriving there the corps
was transferred from the velvet an
silver throne to one carved most ex
: quisitely in marble, which stands i
7 the spacious vaults. There, togethe
with number OF his predecessors
seated like himself on marble throne
y and skilliully embalmed. he will awai
the call OF the last trumpet
New style Fishes.