New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-17
mur RUSSIAN CAPITAL.
,,rv OF ICONS AND sHRiNES-A
\ -r 1T ST. IsAACS-ROMAN-
OFFS At REsT-REVERENcE

OFFS At REsT-REVERENCH
roR SACRED PLACES.
s.; Petersburg. August y.
do, cap,ta! II a gray and yellow c'ty
ire do-,es and iewelled shr:nes. Inc
Of NINA o,.s q the sluggish Neva are lined
granit9 49,, ra,accs and the squares are or
Win '" ,,b columns and colossal statues
nane" a.. IMPRESSION which the stranger re-
oui u" 80, one OF imperial grandeur but OF
ce'e' ,,i,v As he trundles along IN MS
rsig'o ~. landing pier or the railway sta
drosN' -. the driver in blue dressng-go"h
uoh ~ ,.oro neck 10 ankles dofing his cup
ba''o ,r himself ~ front Of every churcN
ard 0i0' 4, no masses a tiny shrine with
ana 0"'F - cleaning IN the middle OF
q -, there is a flashing glimpse Oh L
pfO"N ,,rb,ad interior sparkling WIFE Naming
oiH'' "a oiled with a motley swarm OF "Ol-
tai Tossing and prostrating themselves
snip =, iron. The drosk makes a quick Turn
pe'' o,d the Admiralty, with its graceIu'
NM , .,ursts upon his astonished eyes
spi'0 ,-,,,, " is St Isaacs. on It's massive
soi'.1 celestial and forest OF sunken logs WIN
gran .ro,za rortals. magnificent sculptured
g's", colonnades of polished Corn'hah
P" rosrlendent dome, and, high above the
cO" tho great golden cross; and IL HIS
I'M, >,.i with a sense If dignity OF proporuohS'
No - materials and reverent sihhPI'cA!
.o, II &c enough. The traveller mas not
- b;s hotel. nor obtained with MS pass
r,;ssion 20 dwell awhile in st. PETERS
p' ~, he Knows that he is in Holy Russia
'. - ,os+ in,pressive sight which is 10 be VII
=, II q Petersburg is the interior OF '"''
,nDdid temple on Sunday morning iaS7''7
80 1or, flight Of stone steps and HING "S
ny Guns Of n,umbling beGgars ana ho'u'
IS IN the porches, one finds hlInSeh !"
-, d,rnlv lighted cathedral. with 'housd"4'
:, rorsbirpers prostrating themselves upo" '"0
,s,nont and rising 70 cross themselves ""'"'
rrsrv one on entering the church mas pu
sosed NJ tho door a wax cahdie' ANU o."
u,,,,ne il at a corsecrated lamp mas SCI - -
silver stand before some icon or shri"e' "''
,,ousands Of these tapers are gieahh''s "'''
.-kling on every side. When the sup''"
or,snt Of the service comes the pronZe ga
.,s onen4d behind the altar and the reu ven
& witbd-awn. and then there Is more HE"''
Nv the glory Of the inner sanctuary s"l"e
~, with the figure Of the Redeem'r III s'd'''''
glass poised in the air with benghaht H''J' '''
This window is the main source OF hgh' u"' us
,re service for the fOur arms OF the "reeN o'o''
with tie multitude Of worshippers' anu NV
darkness would be appalling except I'I '"e
thousands Of tapers. Yet the d'n lgh' sum
N reveal the richness Of the tempe VIZ" -
malachite columns and pillars OF laP'S i'Au''
m either side Of the golden screen Win ~
sanctuary of resDlendent Corinthiah columns
with The walls and pavements on p'ilS''o NJ
sian marbles of various hues, ana Win N'.'
or sacred pictures Of costli"st mosaic W''N'
+rar,ad and en- ,rustsd with diamonds, sapPhiTeS'
rubies and pearls
Tho Russian service is rendered mainly py
Two choirs Of men and boys. which cohs'ah'N
braak in uDon the PRAYERS Of the priests WIN
low nelodious chanting and eNquslteiy ih'u"-
,atad responses. There Is neither organ nor or
chestral accompaniment. but the passes are
rich and deep ard the voices of the boy So
nranos are sweet and harmonious. the music
IL as nonotonous the puriing OF d orooh' D"'
weird and pantiye. The half-feci'a'Ne SUN,
Of the delcons are delivered WIN passes oi
amazing depth sounding out ike HlS''H - UNI
,o,.cous 70 Indictment. When a prayer begins
or ends. or the choir take up the responses III,
worshiprers quickly touch forehead, breast ana
right and left shoulders thrice IN turh an"
make their reverences and genuAexions their
heads finally meeting the pavement FROM tih7
n time professions Of alns-takers bearing
t2nerS IQFFIl lIrlI Way b4-A-''7'' ''
and priests pass up ana Gown. scattering in
cense until the air is heavy with perfume. Nhen
the PRAYER for the imperial family is read every
one prostrates himself in silent alteration. 10
one unaccus.orned TO the Russian service the
effects Of the half-lichts. the weird, unearthly
music. the silent reverence Of multitude OF
bowins and curvetting worshppeTs, the beau
tful picture in glass. the icons flashing with
gold and diamonds and the thousands Of fam
ing .apers ara indescriba5y rich ard impressive
Anv other religious service would De cold and
dull after it.
TREAsURE-HOUSES OF JEWELS.
In order 10 appreciate the wealth which is
stored in q Russian church one must go 70
yszsn Cathedral rather than to St Isaac's.
and on weekday rather than on Sunday when
swl be densely crowded Inferior in simplicity
Of modcl magnitude Of proportions and costH-
ness of material to the cathedral which have
been describing. and with an arched cOlonnade.
lacking in dignity from its palpable imitation OF
St Peters At Rome Kazan is a treasure-house
Of Jewels The icorostas and balustrade at the
altar are of solid silver The name of the Al
mighty over the screen is flashed out In dla-
monds The chief icon OF the Virgin, which Is
kissed bv thousands every day, Is embedded In
gold and fairly abaze with large diamonds and
other Jewels a huge sapphire being conspicu-
Gus among them. Four other icons OF the Nir-
GIN and the Saviour are in line with II, ana each
studded with diamonds. peerls and large sap
phres and heavily set with gold. Every sacred
picture is enriched with gold and precious stones
and sparkles every hour Of the day VITA me
lustre Of the lighted tap2Ts with Whlch II Is
surrounded The cathedral has been since u'e
reign Of Alexander ! a storehouse or NauohaI
Trophies. Under the protection or the Lazy Oh
hazan kept the tattered ensigis OF 'le
Nspoeonic invasion. the flags Of vanquished fe'
tan and Turkish armies, and the keys OF cities
conquered In war: and It is before the grand affair
With its countless Jewels that generals and en-
rerors have knelt before setting out on their