The Portland daily press., 1897-01-28
NEW YEARS IN RUSSIA.
The Czar's kissing Contract.-Two Weeks
of Festivities. With Sports and Merry
makings Extraordinary.

New Year customs in Russia, says
the New York Sun, are interesting. In
the morning the Princes of the Imperial
family. personages of the court function
aries of the!capital and servants Of the
palace come in regular order to present
their homages and good wishes to the
Emperor, who kisses all the members OF
bis family and all the high officials three
times. according to the Russian fashion.
On Easter Sunday the Emperor is
obliged by custom to kiss in the same
manner every individual he meets, even
the lowest of his subjects, the most mis-
era BILE of beggars. This kiss is intended
to call the Russians attention to the fact
that they are all brothers in the orthodox
religion.
But on New Y ears day the Emperor
gives his fraternal kiss, as we have said,
to his family and the high functionaries
in his service only; aud the people in the
| street kiss each other, whether they are
acquainted with each other or not. The
favored ones who have been kissed by
| the Car are permitted to kiss the hand
of the Empress. The ceremony of hand
kissing was suppressed for time, but 1t
| was re-established few years ago under
the reign of Alexander III.
| The festivities commence on the 21st of
| December. and are ended on the 9th of
January. Duringsthese Two weeks the
young people gather together -anu play
games and dance. On New Year q
| Day, at breakfast, dinner and supper,
the guests, standing around the table,
| touch glasses, drink the health Of the
| Emperor ana offer good wishes.
| Masters ri We presents to their servants,
| but don't give presents to each other, as
| they do on Christmas. TN Christm as
Day, in all the families the stable is set
with profusion, and hospitality Is offered
to every body. In high society they drink
champagne, while the common people
drink brandy.
| At this time, also. Ethey kdeyots them
selves3to augursl practices. They threw
| melted lead into water, and from the
figures formed by the sudde emily cooled
metal they endeavor to take horoscopes.
The young girls try to learn whether
| they will be married, and to know some
thing of the face, the; qualities and the
fortuneZof their future husbands. At
midnight they sit down between two
mirrors by the side of which two candles
are placed. They look into one mirror
and into the other until they can see
twelve lights. In this way some Of the
girls fancy they see in the mirror the
| image Of their fance, and that gives
| them hope.
There is also the Epiphany, the Day OF
Kings 1t is the first feast of the Rus
sian year. The blessing of Water is car
ried on with great pomp. The Emperor
preceded by the clergy of the orthodox
church, presided over by ,tthe Bishop Of
Ssoyaorod PROCEEDS from the White. Winter
chapel is erected. 1t liz surmounted by
a cross, and in the interior there are
paintings representing the baptism of
Christ
A hole ia made in the ice, the assistants
recite the usual prayer, and in front Of
the Bishop plunges the cross into the
water of the river three shines. Then,
with little water, which he takes up in
precious vase, he sprinkles the assis-
| tnnts.
In turn the people approach the hole,
and each one carries away some of the
| holy water.