New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-22

eases The nun Is droning short prayers and
| making mysterious passes II the air with her
hands Then she takes a baby in her arms and
presses il down into the open sarcophagus until
II rests upon the skeleton Of departed saint.
The mother. meanwhile. Is PROSTATE upon the
/ pavement. convulsvely crossing herself. When
she rises to take back the child she strips off one
Of the garments, and the nun Grams it into the
coffin and holds 1t for few minutes close to the
venerated relics. The garment is then wrapped
about the child and the mother crosses herself
devoutly and. with tearstained face turns tow
ard the doors This is Holy Russia. saturated
with Oriental mysticism and medieval supersti-
ton. When one witnesses such scene he for
gets the picturesque Moscow which he has come
to see. and thinks only Of the degradation and
| ignorance
SHRINCS AND ICONS.
Adjoining the Ascension Conven; Is the Mira
Gle Monastery, with the bones Of ST. Alexis the
wonder-worker. in a silver shrine. and with mag
ni1cent Jewels sparkling on every side !; is the
richest monastery in Moscow. ard services are
constantly in progress there: but ii is venerated
chiefly as a place where supernatural cures have
been effected. and where. the ignorant wor-
shippers believe. miracles may he repeated Here.
as in many other Moscow churches. there are
tombs before which the sick and demented kneel
3
ings where the lips Of the faithful may he Eiuea
for an instant TO saints skull.
Beyond Ivan's Tower with its great bells Is
Archangel Cathedral a whitewashed structure
with five gilded domes. where the Tartar khans
and Rurik and RomanoT princes and Cars
were buried until Peter the Great built an I'M
perial mausoleum in ST.. Petersburg. There are
nearly fifty royal tombs with dust-incrusted
velvet pals and Inscriptions There are tales OF
/ blood and horror to be rected by the Suide al
every turn. Ivan tho Terrible. the victims %
whose merciless hand lie under the same Naulted
roof IS buried close to the main altar win lis
splendid screen and sanctuary richiy adorh'u
with gold and precious stones. The most aV"-
cious crimes have not deprived him or pace
of honor in holy ground. with benignant, sad
faced icons looking down upon him win plylhs
eyes; and beggars in rags say their prayers near
bis ,or,b To these last seats Of the mighty. as
II, tho fortress cathedral at st. Petersburg. the
noor and helpess are drawn by indefinahIe IN
stinct which impels them TO hope FOR some &C.
cu,t vrtue or source OF strength in the ashes Oh
those all-powerfu In life.
One Of the most conspicuous churches LOT
bizarre effects is the little 1berian chape at '"e
Resurrection Gate. where the Cars pause 'or
silent prayer before entering the hre"in
There the Holy Iberian Mother Is en'hroheu
among diamonds and pearls. with anger heaus
around her; and every hour OF the day there II
a crowd OF pilgrims and worshippers prostra'lhs
themselves on the pavement before the miFacu-
Ious icon from Athos The picture IS carri'o
In q coach nd four to the beds or the SICK 10
marriage feasts. to the baptism OF children'
| and wherever a special blessing is required Tor
! those willing 10 pay we'll for H. MARVELLOUS Is
tho coniuring power of religious pictures over
dc
ags 70 the Iberian Mother every day burning
! their tapers and kissing the picture with every
sign Of faith and alteration. Moscow seems to
be wholly given UP to the kissing OF icons and
bones and this habit can hardly fail to be one
! ., tho commonest sources Of contagious dis
! eases.
THE NEW MAIDENS' CONVENT
! Wherever one goes in Moscow there is the
| clouded background Of revolving historical asso-
Citations and degrading superstition; and the
stranger possessing any degree OF sensibility
can have no eyes for the picturesque and bizarre
in architecture or ornamcntaton. One OF the
best color schemes in Moscow is at the
! Novo Devitchi Convent which is reached after
| an agonizing drive In a drosky. or. better STILL
| by boat to the Sparrow Hills with glimpse Of
! the Alexandria Palace the way Out Of A
! dreary sandy plain rise the white battemented
| walls with their sixteen red towers; and within
| the circuit are six churches with domes and
| nlinarets. a hospital bell-tower. an entrance
! gate and the convent wards There is an har-
| monious blending Of pale delicate shades that
| is restful to the eyes after the violent con-
trasts Of color In St Basil and the Kremin
! The summer church Is pink with white decora-
| tons. the central dome being bright gilt and
| the four surrounding dones white with gold
| crosses; and there semcircular gables OF
| light blue with frescoes. The winter church is
! also pink and white. with light green roof.
gilded dome and green cupolas. The octagona
bell-tower is light red with white decorations
green roof and glded dome. sophia's Palace
| across the garden is painted red with white fac
| ings and a green roof. harmonizing with the
gray battlements and red towers. The convent
presents one Of the loveliest combinations Of
! color Imaginable, and the architecture has unity
OF design and is artistic
| When the summer church is entered large
company Of in black hoods and gowns Is
| found al devotions. Most OF them are women
| Of rank and quality who have turned their
private fortunes into the treasury with the
Outstanding that they remain in the con-
vent as long as they choose. and that they
must leave their money behind them IL they
grow weary Of retirement and prefer 10 return
20 the world. Some are unmarried. others are
widows. and others wives who have made
unhappy marriages; and there they all are
without other occupation than that Of constant
attendance upon litanies and services From
morning until night they crossing and pros
trating themselves and kissing icons and the
| bones Of saints.
There are pretty gardens with roses and moss
grown graves in the Novo Devitchi, and birds are
twittering and singing in the trees. One is anx-
ious to forget the mechanical service. Of endless
prostratons and caressing fondling OF icons. as