The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-05-27


Equhllod in HlstOEy-Aneisnt Religious
Forms and Rites-Ths Grand Spectacle
In the cathsaral-Ths Imperial PrOoe'-
sion Preceding the Growing ofths cIau
and czarlna-CsrsmOny Of Amounting.
Copyright, 1885, by the Associated Press)
MOSCOW. May es,-Hls majesty, the
Emperor Nicholas Alexandrovitch, au-
tocrat of all the Russlas. and her ma
jesty, the Empress Alexandra Feodorov-
na,were solemnly crowned to-day in the
cathedral of the Assumption with the
utmost ceremony and In accordance
with all the religious forms and ancient
rites.
At "a o'clock this morning the ceremo-
nies commenced with a salute of twen-
ty-one cannon shots, marking the open
ing OF the day. and at the same hour
the bells in the cathedral of the As
sumption began ringing. Half an hour
later the court dIgnitaries and dlstin-
gufshed persons who we're to take part
In the imperial cortege began to as
semble In the halls Of the palace apd in
the cathedral. The ladies' wore court
dresses and the dignitarles were IN full
uniform.
The ENJOYS extraordinary. the ann
bassadors, the ministers plenipoten-
tlary and the charges d'affaireg, with
their wives, as well as the representa-
tlves OF the diplomatic corps, assembled
al the palace of the kremlin shortly af-
ter s o'clock and were invited by the
master Of the ceremonies to repair TO
the cathedral Of the Assumption and
tal;e the places reserved for them.
A te deum was celebrated in the ca
thedral at s O'Clock in the morning and,
after prayers, the clergy In full canon
lcals assembled in front Of the cathedral
to receive her majesty, the ex-Czarina
Marie FeodoEovRa. The latter, on the
conclusion OF the te deum, repaired TO
the cathedral Of the Assumption, ac-
companied by the members of the inn
perial family Of the highest rank, with
the exception Of those who were to take
part in the emperor's procession, and
by the distinguished guests Of their
majesties.
An Imposing SpecLAcles
The train of the ex-czarina was car
rIed by four court chamberlalns and
the imperial mantle was held up by two
court officials on each side, the train Of
the mantle being carried by q grand
dlgnltary Gf the imperial court.
From the last step of the krasnoe
kryltso UP to the cathedral entrance,
eight court dignltaries OF the third
class carried the canopy beneath which
the ex-empress walked and the golden
cords Of the canopy, most gorgeous
construction, were carried by eight
court dignItnries Of the third d-ciass,
In front OF the cathedral OF the AS
sumption her majesty was received by
the metropolitan Of Moscow, who pre-
sented her with the cross and holy
water.
Her majesty then received the bene-
dlction of the clergy and was escorted
to her seat on the throne Of the Gar
Alexis Mikhailovitch which had been
placed on a special eStrade for the oc-
casion and surmounted by a beautiful
canopy.
Their imperial hlghnesses, the grand
duchesses and the grand dukes and the
august guests of their majesties, took
the places set apart for them, and the
grand-mastsr-of-th ceremonies OF the
imperial court stationed himself 70 the
right OF the estrada. The members OF
grand dukes and OF the foreign princes
were afterwards escorted to their places
by the master-Of-the-cerem
As soon as the procession of her ma
jesty, the ex-czarina had started for the
cathedral OF the Assumption, the high
court dlgnlties who had assembled at
the palace received the imperial sigma
in throne hall and took up the stations
allotted to them in the cortege OF the em-
peror,
The ex-EmpreSs Marie Feodorovna's
departure for the cathedral OF the AS
having been announced, the
czar and czarina made their entrance
into the throne hall and seated them
selves on their thrones, over which was
a magnificent canopy.
The Grand Procession.
A moment later, signal announced
that the time had arrived for the de-
parture of the imperial cortege, and the
latter moved towards the cathedral.
The grand procession was headed by
the chevalIer guards OF the ex-Empress
Marie Feodorovna. Following were the
imperial pages. representatives Of the
syndlcs OF the rural communes, the
mayors OF the various cities and mem
bers OF the various local governments
presidents OF the commercial and imam
cial bodies and OF artisans, guilds OF
Moscow, etc. These were followed by
Cossack soldiers and people. delegations
from the nobility, the senate, the
church, etc.
The imperial sigma, borne by high
court dignitarieS, included the collar of
the order of st. Andrew, OF the czarlna;
the sword, the standard and the seal of
the empire; the Imperial nhnties df their
majestles; the globe; the sceptre, and
the crowns Of the empress and emperor.
At the moment the Imperial corteEe
appeared on leaving the palace. the bells
In all the churches Of Moscow were rung
and the troops, In parade order pre-
sentod arms and rendered all military
honorS to the imperial party.
Entering the cathedral. their majes-
ties bowed 10 the knee three times before
n holy door and venerated the sanity
Images. They afterwards moved to-
wards the eStrade and took their seats
on the thrones OF the c2ara Michael Feo-
lorovltch and John Ill. The Rrchbish-
ops. nrchmandrites and the officiating
clergy placed themselves In two ranks
between the cstrade of the throne and
the holy door and the choirs chanted
the psalm "Mlserlcordiam ct Judlcium
Cantabo Tlbl, Domino"
The dignitariea carrying the imperial
mnntles stationed themselves on the
FIRST step Of the throne.
A dlgnltary holding the sword Of the
empire stood on the second step az the
throne, while the bearer OF the standard
occupied a position on the third step,
other auxillarles TO the pageant were
In suitable order.
The Ceremony.
The ceremony Of the coronation and