The evening times., 1895-08-28
FEEDING THE DEAD.
Curious Religious Custom which Lis
Practiced la ServIa.

CuriOuS Religious custom winch LIS
Practiced la ServIA.
The Servians are good eaters. They eat
heartily during their lifetime. and it would
seem that they are expected to continue
eating, even after they are dead and buried
l assisted at a solemn requiem for the re-
pose of the soul of General Horwatovitch.
says a writer in the Philadelphia Telegraph.
Some time ago Mr. Maclure died in Belgrade
This gentleman was one OF the most prorni-
nent English friends OF Servia- In 1876 he
joined the ambulance service of the Seryian
army, and gradually became so enamored
with the Servian people that when the sec
ond war broke out he shouldered gun and
fought In the Servian ranks aga inst the
Turks.
In token OF gratitude and respect for the
memory of the EDglishma n, the whole of the
cathedral choir. the metropolitan md four
teen priests officiated gratuitously at re-
QUEEN held for the repose of his soul The
church was Gro wdedd with s ynIpathetic peo-
pie. and these ceremonies were rendered
In the ca thedral of the orthodox church in
spite OF the fact that Mr.. Maclure was a
Presbyterian. This speaks well for the
Greek church. Considering the honor which
had thus teen rendered 10 my feliow-coun-
tryman, it seemed the least that / could
do was TO Join in the homage now paid to
his former commander. the Servian general
and hero. Thus / found myself in the
cathedral, standing amid the friends and ad-
nirers of the geDral. and like ti,em hold
ing in my hand a burning taper. which, 1
take it. was emblenatic OF the living soul
of the dead
The priests stood around a small circular
table draped with black, and on it was
placed what seemed to me to be mysterious
sort OF dish. The priests chanted, the choir
responded from gallery above with slow,
sad, nelodious music, while the Gro wd stood
with bowed heads silently holding their
burning tapers. At last, at the end of the
ceremony, the priest taking a decanter
poured some red wine out in the form of
cross over the dish that SO keenly awakened
my curiosity. Then an attendant came
round with a tray in which we each extin-
guished and deposited our candles. By
this time the dish had been removed TO the
door OF the cathedral. where it was held by
one of the relatives the late general. One
by one the crowd filed past the dish, took
up the spoon and helped themselves to q
nouthful.
consisted of boiled wheat, sweetened.
strongly favored with spices and moistened
with wine. This, it appea rs. was the food
for the dead. When inquired what would
be done with what remained in the dish,
YVES Informed that it would be taken to the
cemetery and put on the grave. Just as the
Iatiian is buried with his bow and arrow,
so that he may be fully equipped for the
ba hun fialdx hn ;c
provided with food by his loving relatives
for his long last journey to the unknown
whence no traveller returns.
Naturally this savage through poetic prac-
tice has been tempered by the reason that
education and civilization brings. Food
and food of all sorts-meats, cakes. corn,
pastry and wine-is taken to the cemetery
and To the grave of the departed. The wine
is still luIred over the grave in the shape OF
the cross. but instead of wasting the food by
leaving 1t rot on the ground, the persons
pass ng by arc invited to eat for the repose
OF H soul of the d. parted. Thus, especially
on Saturdays, when many persons visit the
graves of lost relations, great number of
poor people flock to the cemeteries. and
there, in memory Of the dead, are given all
sorts of food.
As it would be considered a very bad omen
to bring back any OF the food to the house,
the mourners are always eager to find per-
sons who will accept what they have taken
to the cemetery.
First they give to their friends, who only
take mouthful out of courtesy, and then
help literally any poor person who may be
at hand. Thus, in manner which does not
pauperize or humiliate are the poor relieved
in honor Of the dead. There is much to be
said in favor of this custom. A bowl OF
stewed wheat or plateful OF mutton chops
may not seem ms poetical as a wreath of
flowers, but they confer an equal honor on
the dead, while they are infinitely more use
full to the living.