Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-30
A CURIOUS CEREMONY.
Queer Rites Mt the Launch of the New
Russian Battle Ship.

From Golfers Weekly.
Originally 1t had been intended that the
Variag should receive her name with all
the honors and sizzling champagne of an
American warshp. At the last minute all
this was changed, and the full Russian
ceremony was decided on. This provides
for all the rites of the Greek Orthodox
Church, and, as a spectacle, is surely much
more impressive than the American way
DESPITE wind and weather, an altar, with
shining golden candelabra and a generous
silver font of holy water. was arranged
under the great ships PROV, and when the
time for the ceremony drew near score of
bronzed sailors that will some day be a
part of her crew assembled under the star
board side of the bow and opened little
black hymn books as they prepared to
chant the prescribed anthems. Down on
the ground the balance of the crew, with
the name of the ship in Greek letters on
their caps, drew up in line as guard OF
honor
guests always a feature Of launches at
these yards, was somewhat impromptu
performance. The Count Cassni, Russian
amba ssador and his niece. Countess Cas-
SIM trotted across the sodden street and
through the muddy yard at the head of a
generally struggling line. Captain Vladimir
Behr who will command the Variag, was a
noticeable figure in the bunch. He was in
| a hustler he was stirring about if he
| did not mind the rain that was streaming
| from his shoulders off his chapeau like a
miniature cascade. Rev A. A. Hotovitsky
and Rev. T. Zotikoff, the highest digni-
| taries of the Greek Church in America
| who were in complete charge of the cere-
! monies, picked their way to the christen-
| ing stand, their purple robes Of Office very
| sensibly shielded by flowing olskin man
| ties.
| AS soon as the priests reached the stand
| they took their places at the altar and
| the ceremonies commenced. The opening
| prayer was listened to by all with I'M
covered heads, and then the sailor choir
! chanted the first hymn Of the christening
service. They did 1t well, too, despite a
preponderance of bass voices. Then the
priests said the mass that made ship an6
| name one and really gave the craft iden-
| tity In the navy of the great white Car,
even though she did not yet feat the
| drew. That nag Will be hoisted when the
| ship goes into commission, and until Their
| the Variag must be satisfied with the fag
Of the Russian Merchant marine.
| brants blessed the ship thrice. standing di
| rectly under her. powerful looking ram
| and then they held up the golden crucifix
reverently kissed The priests anointet
| the vessel high up on the cold steel bow
| plates with holy water, gave last bless
| ing and the choir sung the closing hymn
| This ended the ceremony of Russia, ant
| 2OO brawny men, who had lined the ways
| looking on in wonder at this new-fangiet
idea, knew that their time had come, ant
with it the beautiful spectacle Of the rea
| launch. They drove the wedges home will
right good will, and split the keel block
out as If they were cutting cheese instead
Of tough yellow pine; and then, as the!
knocked free the last beams that shoret
up the ship, they hunted good places t,
watch the rest of the show Edwin S
Cramp signaled that all was ready, am
the eight men that always cut away. tn
| shoe pieces or last restraining timbers
quickly had a kerf made for their saws, an
stood waiting their final order.
| At the bow Of the ship Count Cassin
now stood with drawn sword He laid tn
| glittering blade on the Prov and the work
| men were ordered TO cut away all. A min