The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-06-16
THE RUSSIAN SCANDAL.

THE RUSSIAN SCANDAL.
The church robbery and scandal in
Russia, Of which our dispatches give an
account this morning, has not had a par
allel in church history so far as sacrileg-
ious thieving is concerned. Within the
walls of the Kremlin is the church and
monastery of Chudov. Within the noble
citadel are several magnificent palaces
also, and other buildings of which Mos
COW is justly proud, and around which
cling the most precious memories of the
empire. The Kremlin is said to be the
most remarkable architectural structure
in the world. The most gorgeously deco
rated edifice known is in the Krem-
lin, the Cathedral of the Assumption of
the Virgin Mary - smaller than most
cathedraIs-but richer in decoration than
any.
Here, too, is the Cathedral of the Arch
angel Michael, containing all the tombs
of the Cars down to the time of Peter
the Great. The Church of the Annuncia-
ton, the floor of which is paved with
agate, jasper, and rare carnelians and
other choice stones, is in the Kremlin, as
also the tower of Ivan Veliki, which is
200 feet in hight and surmounted by a
magnificent dome of golden surface.
Here, too, is Gar Kolkol, the greatest
bell in the world; the $50 cannons taken
from the French, and the rich storehouse
of arms and accoutrements of all ages.
Within this Enclosure, so fraught with
historic interest, the robbery took place
which has shocked all Russia.
1t appears that in the Kremlin vaults
are kept many valuable treasures. dia-
monds, gold and silver vessels, rich vest
lnents, pearls, precious stones, church
and imperial regalia, ETC., and holy YES
sells that have been consecrated by long
usage and historical associations to the
national heart Only recently the Car
was at the Kremlin. and in honor of the
visit there were certain ceremonies which
involved the removal from the official
vaults and exposure to view of these val
liable articles, When the ceremonies
We're over it appears that there was me-
glect to return the vestments, stones,
plate. regalia and rich stuffs TO their
vaults. A swarm of monks live within
the Kremlin in the monastery and the
various church buildings. These fell
upon the treasures, tore out the precious
gems from the vestments, gathered up
the plate and the rich stuffs and other
sacred and magnificent property and con-
cealed the plumber in their cells.
The fellows probably thought that the
police would not think of searching
holy house for the booty of theft. But in
this the monks were mistaken, hence the
disclosures now made. OF course the
miscreants will be punished, for when
the police of Russia permit it to be made
public that they have fastened a crime
upon anyone it may be taken as certain
that the party charged is as good as con-
victed and that his punishment is not tar
can fancy, for to thel; is added the eccle-
siastical crime of sacrilege, and for that
there is no infliction too severe in Rus
STA; the knout, the torture chamber. ST.
IBERIA, claiming to barrows, the scaffold.
all these may be considered as ripe for
the bodies of these monks.
As ifitwere not enough to give shock
to the religious sense of the Russians bv
thieving on the part of "holy men," the
search of the police developed scandal,
also. that will bring the lower religious
class into i'll favor, despite its cloth. The
officers discovered that these pious
monks, supposed to be celibates, kept in
their monastery number of women in
concubinage. The priest in Russia may
marry, but Illicit relations between any
men who have been anointed and women
is so scandaIous that even the devout
Russian pales at the suggestion OF such q
thing.