The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-02-07
RUssIA's SACRED SHRINE.
The Wonder-worIxing Picture of tho
aMother of God" In the
Kremlin.

II is seven o'clock in the afternoon in
Moscow, June IA, Russian time June
26 everywhere else), but Russia's sun
is more than two hours high and will
peep over the horizon tomorrow morn
ing before three o'clock. We are stand
ing Ia the broadest street of the city
near the Incompatible Kremlin and OPP
posite gigantic gateway, under which
nestles litsle chapel Of colored mar
bies with blue pyramldal root fecked
with golden stars. Every passer-by
faces the chapel, uncovers himself and
kolemply makes the sign of the cross
several times. Even the passengers on
The crowded double-decked horse cars
90 Though this strange ceremony.
Here comes gang OF dusty laborers.
Every one Of them stops, ard, bowling
low toward the chapel, crosses himself
again and again. There are some long
haired, iong-gowned priests OF the Rus
kian church. sery Intelligent, gcod-look-
ing men, too with clear compilations
and kindly eyes, kneeling on the marble
against the hard pavement. Every cab
driver in his padded robe, which makes
him fill the front seat en6rely, finds
time to remove his squatty hat and
touches his forehead, chest and right
and left shoulders. Just over there g
splendid carriage with prancing black
stations is halting, and wealthy lady
with maid steps OUT 10 kneel before
the sacred shrine. Here close 10 US are
merchants, coming rom Their pretty
shops In rhe matchless glass arcade
neas by. They. 100, without exception,
pay homage aud nuke the sacred sign,
and the pooG peasants from afar, with
black bread and onions ia a cloth, with
coarse clothing and straw shoes and
stout walking stick which has helped
them over q hundred verstsr -thsy, of
course, are filed With raprare. and pros
trate themselves nat upon the pave
1nent, kissing everything in reach in
passionate adoratlop-
What Is the meaning OF ali tbs ?" we
ask, and as vie search eagerIs, but in
vain. in the throng ioc some one VINO
looks as though he could speak word
of some other language than Russian,
our eyes rest On royal carriage which
we had overlooked. 1t was drawn by
beautiful black boises, with liveried,
bareheaded attendants, who are TAX
ing from the carriage blackened pie
tuca of the Blessed Virgin. This, then,
must be the woodworking Mother
OF Cod the most sacred picture in all
Russia, before which the car pros
trates himself before enlering the
Yreulin. We open our German Rae-
deker and read that the picrure is $50
years cd, was brought from Mount
Atbos and is covered With pearls and
precious stones. It is taken in a royal
carriage every day to The nomes Of the
sick, where il works miracles and re-
eeives great sums of money. 1t has
cash in one cheek. made oong ago by
Tartar swcsdi but millions would ro,s
gladly give their lives 10 save the idol
from SUCH indigri.y.
We enter the chapel when the picture
has been set in place again and bug a
tiny candle, which VIC pace alongslnea
hundred others. Cling sae room with
sitting odor. This, however IS real per-
fume compared 10 the orthodox AZ dis
tinct smells Of Moscow. We vii not
lcneel. and we cannot stand with a score I
lneeling behind Us en6eavoriug to see
the sacred ilSop, SO we back out into the
air, feeling the scorn reflected from
half hundred faces.-Zion's Herald.