The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-20
WITH HIS ANCESTORS.
Last Services Over the Body of Alex
ander III.
Impressive Ceremonies iu the Fortress
Cathedral-The Body Placed Beside the
Coffin of His Mother. Distinguished
Generals Were Pail Bearers.


Coffin of His Mother. Distinguished
Generals Were Pail Bearers.
St. Petersburg, November 19-The morn
ing opened cold and foggy. There was no
rain but a thick mist overriding the streets
and the emblems OF mourning everywhere
| displayed were dripping with the moisture
therefrom.
The popuiace was astir before daylight
and all the morning lines of people con-
yerped upon the fortress cathedral of ST.
Peter and St. Paul, where the booming OF
cannon announced the beginning of the
funeral services.
The troops which had been taken of duty
at daybreak took their positions prominent
~ and thoroughfaIes were soon lined with
infantry, cavalry and artiller y.
The signal for the services to begin was
the firing of three guns from the fortress.
Just as the third gun was fired Emperor
Nicholas and the Imperials..family appeared
at the west door of the Cathedral and pro-
ceeded by the metropolitan of st. Peters
burg and the members of the Holy Synod,
all of them magnificently robed in vest
ments of black and silver, passed through
| the body of the edfice towards the cata-
falqte.
TIE metropolitan of st. Petersburg carried
the great crucifx as the Chief of the Holy
Synod, and as the procession passed toward
the catafalq1e sprinkled holy water upon
| those about him, at the same time audibly
| repeating prayer. After the Gar and Im-
perial family and the Holy Synod had taken
their places. the metropolitan and the
/ clergy stood in semi-cirele around the
head Of the cossn. The metropolitan began
4 the mortuary mass, which, with the ex-
|, ception of the elaborate music and the
\ general splendor of the occasion was the
same as the service for the dead which is
/. said for any other faithful member of the
\ Orthodox chuIc
L At noon the air inside the church was
heavy with incense and the dim light with
III was starred with thousands of tapers
eiAch mourner and visitor holding one. The
fin st taper was lighted by the Czar. AS His
Ma jesty lighted his taper he held it aloft
ami from it slowly spread a stream of light.
When the other tapers were lighted the
scene was ono of raj est beauty. the sanctu-
airy and the body of the edifice sparkling as
thou gh jewelled with emeralds, sapphires.
oLal,s. etc. All present were standing. the
Car with the Imperial family and the visit
ing royalties on the right side of the coffin.
The C'zarina. pale and fragile and looking
much affected. stood by 1.-The side of the
Gear. with these were the Princess of
Wales, the = Duchess of Coburg. King
Christian oftDenmark. the Prince of Wales.
the Duke of York, the Duke of Coburg. a
number of naval officers and the ampassa-
doris with their suites. OnSthe left of the
coli n were number of clergymen and in
front NUMBER ofimilitary and other digni-
taries. Behind, the altar all the available
space was crowded, two persons being
damned intoathei SPACE that should be ocou-
pied by one.Rsa
The harmony of the male CHOIR. which
sang without Instrumental. accompanime
was perfect, their voices were of marvellous
richness and purity, and the effect through
out the solemn servide was deeply impress
sive. 10y 4sAs aisss = l.
After the g,anaral mass for the. dead, with
its elaborate ceremony, the special service
for the dead Gear was begun. The service
began with brief prayer, after which
Psalm 81 was sung byan unseen male choir.
Then followed. the singing of Psalm 1l9.
which was divided into three stations, with
an amen after each Psalm. The first anthem
was the Gloria Alloluid,' the second,
"Have Mercy Upon My soul." and the
third, blessed Art Thou, o Lord, Teach
Me Thy Judgements.r
AT the end of the second station, before
the anthem, was the prayer.
At the conclusion of the special service
which was very elaborate the Car stepped
forward to the coffin and kissed the lips OF
the dead Emperor, the other members of
the Imperial family. and those bound by
ties of blood marriage following, the Gear
standing by the side of the coffin until all
the farewells were over.
The eight generals appeared bearing the
lid of the coffin which was fastened in it's
place. Eight otLer generals bore away the
purple pail which had covered the coffin,
exposing the bare gilded surface of the
casket to view. The Grand Dukes then
lifted the coffin to their shoulders and bore
it to the entrance to tho Imperial vault
which opened in the pavement and a
moment later the mortal remains Of Alex
ander III. were lowered into the resting
place of his imperial ancestors.
at the moment the coffin WAS lowered a
gun was fired and the Gear stepped forward
and took handful of earth which he
scattered supon the casket. II
As the body was lowered and placed by
the side of the coffin of the mother of the
dead Gear the metropolitan recited the last
prayer for the dead, adding. I'VE do our last
duties to an ever remembered and glorious
ruler of all the Russias, Alexander Ill.,
All the members of the Imperial family
then fled slowly past the vault, followed
by all of the persons who had been in the
cathedral and the obsequies of Alexander
III. were over.
AS the coffin was lowered into the vault
the Czarina, who had throughout the SER
vice been under a terrible strain. fell to her
knees and wept. She was supported by her
son, the Gar Nicholas, and led away
subbing conyulsively.
Service at Windsor Castle.
London, November 20.-Specia1 requiem