The National tribune., 1894-04-05
HOLY THURSDAY.
An Emperor in Vienna on His Knees Wash
ing Odd Mems Feet.


ing Odd Mems Feet.
After Rome and Seville, Vienna remains
one of the rare towns in which the tradition
of Holy Week is preserved almost intact
The strangest ceremony, beyond doubt, is
that of the washing OF feet, which takes place
on Holy Thursday at the Court of the En-
peror. The Pope practices it in the Vatican,
aud the Emperor does not want to be left in
the shade. He has even gone step further
in the affair, for while in Rome II old men
receive the honorable ablutiOn, at Vienna
IL old women are added TO the IL old men.
But the Empress Elizabeth, who was booked
for the washing OF the venerable female feet,
went on strike. She cares little about
the tradition, and every year when the time
of the ceremony is approaching she leaves
Vienna under one pretext or another, and In
this way escapes the exIgencles of the affair.
Tue Emperor remains faithful to the ira
dition. The whole Court is assembled on this
occasion in the Imperial Palace For an hour
there is an uninterrupted defle of grand car
riages bringing all the Princes, the high
dignitaries of the Empire, and the DIplo-
matte COrps In the grand hall IL old men
are assembled to get their feet washed by
the Emperor. Among the high marble col
umns, sparkling lusters, surrounded by
richly ornamented draperies, there stands
upon a slightly raised platform long and
simple table covered with a white cloth. At
one Of its long Sides as in the greater por-
ton of the pictures OF the Last Supper by
the masters of the renaissance, are seated the
IL figurants, upon whom the SHOWS of time
have fallen. They are all clad in sort of
med Byai costume, composed OF long black
cloak with a white cape.
At the foot of the platform, forming the
most violent contrasts by their brilliant and
bedizened uniforms, is the flower of the aris-
tocracy and of the official world. Here we
have Hungarian magnates with their daZ-
zling costumes frOgged in gold or silver and
buttoned by large precious stones hussar5,
yellow, green, and scarlet, with their fur
kalpaks and plumes, and Knights of Malta,
clad in white, with the immense black crosses
of their order on their breasts. Between the
marble colonnade which stands around the
table little tribuues are erected in which the
ladies of the Court and the invited guests
are seated.
Preceded by the clergy and surrounded by
the members of the Imperial family, the EN-
peror appears. He is In full uniform, with
white dolman, red trousers, with gold band,
booted and spurred, and his sword by his
side The Court Chaplain reads the Gospel of
the day, while in little blue clouds the in
cense floats through the hall, already inn
preguated with the perfumes left after the
balls of the Winter.
The ceremony really commences with
banquet with 13 cOurses, all of the simplest
fast-day kind. The Emperor acts as head
waiter. One after theiother he places before
the old gentlemen this different dishes, which
are carried to him by the highest dignitaries
of the Empire. The guests never touch the
dishes, but at the close Of the ceremonies
they are presentsdswith the napkins, the
plates and dishes, and pewter mugs, all
marked with the Imperial arms. These