The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-11
PERSIAN RELIGIOUS FANATIcIsM.
BIOOd-BespRttered Procession
Staggering From SeIf-Inhicted
Wounds.

| since coming TO COnStanunople some
seven months ago 1 have witnessed many
novel ceremonies, civic. military and re-
| ligious-the Christmas fetes Of the Greeks,
! Armenians and Turks; the religious Greek
| ceremony called "the blessing of the
| waters; the starting of the sacred cara
| van to Mecca; the march and May Bal
| ram festivals; the weekly "Selamlik," or
! the sultan's procession to the mosque, and
! other ceremonies Of minor importance
! but they all pale into insignificance when
compared with the religious ceremony
! Witnessed last Thursday night. That GER
/ cmOny was the annual celebration by the
| Persians Of this city of the martyrjom
| of the two grandchildren of the Prophet
| Mohammed, Hassdn and Hussein. ! am
| not sufficiently versed in the religious
! history OF Persia 10 state how the war
| came about in which these two distin-
! guished individuals lost their lives, but
! know from hearsay that they died in the
| religious cause of the Mussulman and
their deaths are mourned to this day by
| all believers in the MOhammedln faith,
! especially the Persians.
The accounts of this ceremony Clven
me by the consul general. who had Wit
messed it some years ago, whetted my
| curiosity, and ! kept a careful watch on
my little "almanach de poche a lusagc
du Leyant." which shows the dates for
taking place in the Turkish capital. The
Both of the month of Mouharem, corre-
spending with June 10 in our calendar, at
last arrived, and my chance for verify
ing the strange stories which had been
told me OF the "Hassein and Hussein''
ceremony was at hand.
Constantinople has a Persian population
of some 1900 souls, mostly resident in the
STEAMBOAT quarter. The majority Of the
"a Of n
mercantile business, and buy and sell rugs.
embroideries, spices, hne furniture, etc,
and all of their places of business are in
five great buildings called hans" The
Walden han is the largest one of the five
and beneath it's red-uled roof some 400
Persians have their homes and shops. 1t
is great structure of gray stone, built
around an open square, in the center of
which is a small mosque, where the in
mates attend religious worship. The en-
trance to the numerous tiny shops Is had
from the inside Of the square. The build
ing could well serve as fortress, for
after the massive iron gates at the single
entrance are closed and locked the place
is well-ngh impregnable. 1t is in the
great square of the Valdez han that the
principal part of the ceremony which l
am attempting to describe takes place,
and at 1880 o'clock last Thursday night our
party was at its entrance. The big gates
on this occasion were, OF course, wide
open, and through the opening poured
never ending throng of Enthusiastically garD-
ed humanity Our party made quite an
imposing procession a we entered the
brilliantly Illuminated square. The gor-
geously uniformed "caVasses" of the
American legation and consulate general
and the military attendant Of his excel
lency. Woods Pasha, headed the line-the
crowd was so dense that we had to go in
single hle-and then followed Minister
Terrell. Consul General Short, Woods Pa
sha, the ladies' of our party, numbering
four and, bringing up the rear, your hum
bic servant, with Count d'Oyley. Far
away Moses of 'Innocents Abroad" fame.
who was with us as guide, friend and
philosopher and two or three guests of
the Pera Palace hotel, who had asked per-
mission to accompany the expedition.
The scene as we entered the square was
a most homogeneous one, for in strong
contrast to the innumerable lights and
fiercely blazing torches, all of the shop
fronts were heavily draped in deepest
mourning We threaded our way through
the ever-increaslng throng. and finally
reached the space which had been reserv-
ed for our party by the friendly Moses.
There we found comfortable chairs, and,
seating ourselves, were ready to witness
the ceremony.
Soon the sound of cheering, accompanied
by the beating of drums and the playing
of flies, was heard, and presently from
around one corner of the mosque in the
center of the square appeared the head of
the procession. First came dozen men
bearing great torches, and Immediately
following a dozen more dressed from head
to foot in robes of funeral black. These
last were giving utterance to the most
pitiful cries, wringing their hands and
sobbing as if their hearts were breaking.
/ could distinguish the oft-repeated words,
NIH.sra sNv "a. 4
me that they were telling the story of the
tragic death of these two sons of Ali
While watching the group l heard the
sounds of sobbing at my side, and, turning,
saw a man in Persian costume sobbing
bitterly. He was not alone in his grief CO,
for every Persian In sight was similarly
occupied and / rightly came TO the con-
clusion that such procedure was a part of
the ceremony.
Following on the heels Of the mourners
came dozen priests, all in black, and be-
hind them a half-dozen men bearing a
queer looking object. somewhat resem-
bling in shape a bath chair, but almost
hidden with black cloth and crepe. Then
followed a beautiful white horse. almost
hidden from view with eXquisitely en-
brOidered shawls and scarfs. Astride of
the animal sat a small boy dressed in
flowing robes Of spotless white, the crown
of his head shaver, and carrying In his
use of which l was to learn later on. In
front of the youngster perched upon the
proudly curved neck OF the horse were a
number Of snow-white pigeons.
Then followed more torch-boarers and a
body of about 200 men each with the left
breast barred. Then another body of men
with barred backs, each carrying in his
right hand an instrument OF self-torture.
which Moses says was known as the
chain scourge.' These "scourges" were
made In the shape of cato -nine-tails."
the tails" however. being made OF close
~ linked chains instead Of the stout leath-
er which usually characterizcs this an
Client instrument OF punishment for iusuh-
ordinate sailors. Then came more torches
and double line of about 200 men. each
with the top of his head closely shaver.
They were dressed IN flowing robes OF
white ana carried swords OF every con-
caiv1he description. These mon walked
sideways, the lines facing each the other
Lastly came a body of about 100 school
children an neatly uniformed In "a suit OF
blue cloth They were led boy a half-grown
youth who sang q line or two. and the
youngsters came Ia on the refrain. The
melody was very like some of our old
| lima Nnrltts eoTnn and most rlrraf.as - ~