Crawford avalanche., 1896-05-21
GROWING A GEAR.
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES IN THE CA.
THEpRAL At MOSCOW

A Journal by the Daughter Of the British
Ambassadof Describing the Coronation
Of the Late Car OF Russia.
Miss Mary Grace Thornton, daughter
Of Sir Edward Thornton, describes
'srhe Growing of Gar In the Gen.
tury. Miss Thornton writes as follows:
The service began with the Emper-
or's confession Of faith, which was 80
like our own that could follow it cas-
fly. The metropolitan came forward
to hear him make 1t, and responded al
the end. MAY the grace Of the Holy
Ghost abide with thee" understood
comparatively little Of the rest; but
they say that the prayers are wonder
fully beautiful. From the first mo-
ment to the last the Emperor was the
central figure. If one looked away, II
was only to see how every one was
watching him. His voice certainly
trembled when he began to read, but 1t
gained confidence as he went on, and he
looked (as he always does, to my mind,
with or without CROWN every inch an
emperor. Throughout the whole SER
vice he bore himself with great dignity,
and in a manner worthy Of such an oc-
caslon.
After the creed and the reading of
the epistle and the gospel, he ordered
the imperial mantle to be brought,
which was clasped round his neck with
the collar Of st. Andrew, lifted the
magnificent crown from the cushion
on which 1t was presented. and receiv-
ing the benediction from the metropoli-
tan, Gin the name of the Father. and Of
the Son. and of the Holy Ghost" placed
It on his head, and. holding the sceptre
in his right hand and the globe in his
left, seated himself upon his throne,
looking a very noble presentment OF n
car Of all the Russias. The empress
seemed to have caught something of
his air. for that day certain stateli-
ness was added to all her charm. She
was very pale, but thought that had
never seen her look more sympathetic.
She now left her place, and went 10
kneel before her husband on cushion
which had been placed for her at his
feet by Prince Waldemar.
The czar lifted his own crown from
his head. and placed it an instant on
hers before replacing 1t. Then, taking
her crown from its bearer, he held 1t
in place while the four danes d'hon.
neur fastened 1t securely to her head
These were Countess Adlerberg. Prln-
cess Viasemski, Princess Kotchoubey.
and one did not know-the oldest in
rank in Russia, believe: and they also
helped to fasten the imperial mantle Of
cloth-of-gold and ermine, Of great
weight. AS the cZarina returned to
her place, she turned face full Of emo
ton to her husband, and held out her
hand, and he taking it and STOPPING
down, they kissed each other His ma
jesty now received the scepter and
globe again, and emperor and empress
stood crowned before their thrones and
wearing the imperial mantles, while
the priests proclaimed the titles of the
autocrat of all the Russias at full
length; and the beautiful chants that
followed were drowned in a changing
Of bells and a noise that seemed loud
enough to announce the coronation to
the whole Of Russia. During the sing
ing the imperial family left their places
to come and congratulate the emperor
and empress, the little cZarevitch first.
There was much embracing and plenty
of tears.
It was after this that, as the noise Of
the bells and cannon died away, the em-
peror took the book from the metropoli-
tan and knelt to pray, reading the pre-
scribed words, he alone kneeling, while
priests and congregation stood.
AS the emperor rose from his knees
we all knelt down, and then followed
the prayer Of priests and congregation
for him, led by the metropolitan. the
emperor alone standing in the crowded
church. AS 1 have said before. this
was the most impressive moment Of
all.
The choirs now sang again-that
beautiful. unaccompanied singing Of
the Greek Church, though here it had
an accompaniment of all the Kremlin
bells. After n magnificent TIE Deum
the mass began, in which, before COM
municating, the cZar was to be anoint-
ed with the holy chrism (the "seal of the
gift of the Holy GhostO on forehead.
eyelids, nostrils lips, ears, breast, and
hands. The oil for this amounting Is
prepared by the priests with the great
est care. in vessels Of silver; and they
themselves fast absolutely for sixteen
hours before a coronation. spending
the time in prayer. After the emperor,
the empress is anointed at the holy
doors, but only on the forehead. Also
in the holy communion she receives as
an ordinary member Of the Greek
Church; but the emperor, on the day of
his coronation, Gin view of the sove-
reignty that resides in her person." re-
ceives as the priests receive, in both
kinds separately.
OF all this saw nothing because of
the intervening pillar. But I did see
their majesties leave their thrones, and
go down the steps Of the platform to
the holy doors of the screen, closely at
tended by the colonel of the Chevaliers
Gardes with his drawn sword. and pre-
ceded and followed by endless high
dignitaries, returning in the same order
after the amounting and the holy COM
munion. After this there was little
more Of the ceremonial in the cathe-
dral. At the end Of the usual service
there were some special prayers and
chants for the newly crowned pair