Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-04-04
RUSSIA'S SACRED SHRINE.
"Mother OF Cod" In the
kremlin.

II is seven o'clock in the afternoon in
Moscow. June IA. Russian time (June
&c 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 in the brondest street OF the city
near the Incompatible Kremlin and OPP
posite a gigantic gateway, under which
nes,les a little chapel Of colored mar
bles with blue pyramidal roof iiecked
with golden stars. Every passer-by
faces the chapel, uncoyers himself and
solemnly makes the sign of the cross
several times. Even the passengers on
the crowded double-tecked horse carr
90 through this strange ceremony.
Here comes n gang Of dusty laborers.
Every one Of them stops, and, bowling
low toward abe chapel, crosses himself
again and again. There are some long
haired, long-gowned priests Of the Rus
sian church. very intelligent, cookbook
ing men, too, with clear compilations
and kindly eyes, kueeling on the marble
sNtHHf VIVA AhNAA laws fANTsNN AhAN
against the hard pavement. Every cab
driver 10 his padded robe, which makes
him fill the front seat entirely, finds
time TO remove his squatty hat and
touches his forehead, chest and right
and left shoulders. Just over there n
splendid carriage with prancing black
stations is halling, and a wealthy lady
with n maid steps out 10 kneel before
the sacred shrine. Here close TO MS are
merchants, coming from their pretty
shops in the matchless glass arcade
near by. They, too, without exception,
pay homage and make the sacred sign,
and the poor peasants from afar, with
black bread and onions In a cloth, with
coarse clothing and straw shoes and
stout walking stick which has helped
them over a hundred ycrsts-ihey, of
course, are filled with rapture, and pros
trnte themselves fiat upon the pave
ment, kissing everything in reach in
passionate alteration.
"Nhat is the meaningo Of all this?' we
ask. and as we search eagerly, but in
vain. in the ihroug for some one who
looks MS though lie could speak Il word
of some other language Than Russian,
our eyes rest on a royal carriage which
we had overlooked. 1t was drawn by
beautiful black horses, with liveried,
bareheuded attendants, who are taxi
, ing from the carriage a b!ackened pic
ture of the Blessed Virgin. This. then,
must be the woodworking Mother
of God" the most sacred picture In all
Russia, before which the ear pros
trates himself before entering the
Kremlin. We open our German Bae-
deker and read that the picture Is $50
, years old, was brought from Mount
: Athos and is covered with pearls and
precious stones. II is taken in a royal
! carriage every day TO the homes OF the
7 sick, where It works miracles and re
ceives great sums of money. 1t has q
I cash in one cheek, made long ago by 9
= Tartar sword; but millions would now
gladly give their lives 10 save the lido.
b from such indignity.
!. We enter the chapel when the picture
has been set in place again and buy {
tiny candle, which we place alongside
hundred others, filling the room with
> sitting odor. This, however, is real per
fume compared to the orthodox AZ dis
tinct smells OF Moscow. We will no
kneel, and we cannot stand with n scor'
" kneeling behind us endeayoring TO SCI
. the sacred ikon, so we back outinto tn
. air, feeling the scorn reflected from
q half hundred faces.-Zion's Herald.