The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-21
NOBLE LADIES OF PRAGUE
Facts About he Proudest Religious
Order in the World.
Founded by an Empress-Its Abbess
Candidate Admitted Unless She
Can Prove sixteen Qu.rterings of
kobiiity-The Worldly Privileges.

,..,..,, g. -. 80 - -
~ ~"o
quaint Old CITY on the hoidar. that crown
ed by the Hradschin, rules the river like
a queen Yet Prague is one OF the most
haart;,ri tow,s In Eurons wbethar no 70
.-x,.s.... IT,, -
saius SITUATION VI ~eui'ss'e' ing naIis
bfucke alone is worth tne Journey 'nat
| wonderful bridge with its thirty groups OF
statuary. At one point is inserted In the
paranet a slab Of marble having in the
-. -, s.,,.,.-o.r,o, ,.o.. =,
''ass Inns tue 'OuV" Do 'nes
pass. at the same time uneoSering' LOT u
marks the spot whence John Nepomucen
| was hnried for rafrsinV IN botrav the CO.
lcrets NJ tho confessional
IN. - -. la. h,..ou,o q,
,aras, =, -, ,,,,,,,,i,s
MA s,,a - sa..> n,,s.s. - - - -,
war OF contsnajny nsl,tIca, nartioz. vet
today in the sunlight its market pIaca
crowded with gaiIy cI.a ,aasants ,-or
] Moravia. Pilsen. and Taua n looks az
peaceful as il the call TO arms had never
resounded through its narrow streets. One
feels inclined to envy the Stifts Damen.
the Noble Ladies OF Prague. who live
amidst scenes hallowed by so MAN. memo
| ries, and with which the families 81 more
( than one have been identified in the past.
! The Secular Canonesses OF PragHe belong
I to the proudest religious order III Europe
| To their ranks no maiden Is admitted VINO
| connot prove on both sides sixteen quar-
teriings OF mobility. IL was founded oy
the Empress Maria InereSa, ana mas nad
ever since for its aooeSs a daughter OF
the Imperial house.
INTENDED as provision ior tae penni-
are not OF the strictness to be found In
less aristocratic associations. Its mem
oers are iree 10 marry-h they get a goou
oner-and though they are required 10
spend certain number OF months annu-
ally In the Royal Palace OF the Hradsehin,
tney are aloWeu 10 VISIT Wnen they IKE
10 receive visits and TO seek change OIL air
In summer. Each canoness has at her dis
posai carriage and horses. and box at
the theatre, Wnlle medical attendance and
drugs are provided. In addition she re-
ceives pension of over 100 guldens a
month, or about S45.
While Marie Theresa's foundation af-
fords a retreat for many girls OF hign
birth, but of limited means. ii must not be
taken that all the members are impecu-
NOUS To belong TO the Stifts is esteemed
an honor A sister of the present Conn.
Taaffe, Zone Of the many Austrian mobiles
of Irish descent). the Countess Walbbur-
ga CIementina Taafa wae a ca,ona.. A.
the present dav Count Taaffa,s ovrp dansh-
ter is numbered amongst the members q,
the community
Among chose ,ho ho,,o III, -
of Abbess have besn tbs ,,nsortu, ,n VS. NE
RE An;oinette and the present croer Dc
gent of spain who governed tbo ordar ~
IN ~ ,,,s.-;1, - &C. -, e"e o'uei un-
hess is tha vontbf,,I a-chd,,dha-~ 49,.
Annunciata. or TO give her fuII name Nc
RE Annrnciata AdoIai5a ,rhoro.a ,T;ssaa,.
Caroline ror;.. DIT q. =. 80 , aieuaeie
Of the Arcbd,,ta r., Is. .". uauenter
the Emneror M sustrio b., ~ ~. -"
tho pr;ncess VT TL VIC
and was horn % pa,ahn,.a CSC VI oissan%d:
July. 1916. On her investit,ra ~ roo oSt 81 =.
was conseonantIv o,I,, ;..,
years of ACC h., sho h zen
H.. fiigni,v ~ = r,a.1,- Do,e neiseh Win
The Immediate nredseas "a =. ~
emf abbess was tba S.oSS,,,a,. sne ,,s
ImmacnIato mr. ,.". tiS euu .I ,e,s MARIA
U,,nstar IA s ~ ma5 uorn IN 1908 at AIT
Goth of Nav 1saa sbs n,a-riaS pri,,o on .ne
pust T,eonoId ~ caxa g. CO.
Tho inrost;,,,ra ~ :. St,,'s =,
religious ceremony S,a racs,,.s q so'eu .L
hands of the Archbisbon an srn,ina r,or,Ie
and the insisnia ~ har of,ioo = - 49,.
and n crozier reeaDhIipg that c,.r;o5 -.
bishops and roitred abbofs 4 -o,,,I cro,s ~
Is at the same time nIaced an ber bead bv
the reigping abi,sss "a rar,;,so.
that she is Of royaI birtb and eyercisss
royal Jurisdiction. Students will remem-
Der that in England abbesses formerly SAT-
in Parliament. and in AnpIo-Saxon times
numbered among them more than one re-
markable woman
The Canonesses Of Prague are Obliged
to don their distinctive garb onIv eight
times a year, on great festivals. Like
their abbess. they wear on these occasions
a black silk gown and an ermiue- trimmed
mantle. but the fur is narrower than on
hers. Across the chest a blue ribbon is
displayed On the head is worn a Marie
Stuart cap with long pendant tuIle veil
The Stifts Damen are nrfviIsped tn annsar
at the Austrian Court sttired in bIack
Our Illustrations in the peftrajts of the
Countess Iazanskv ana .be Raronsss SIR
hinsLv show tba 5;s,;,ctiO, ba,a,oo,, 49,,
costume of private members and that Of
the abbess
Pesidsc tho nrivata onartp,en+s a1Iot+a5
20 each radv IN the uradecbin or PovsI
palace at Prague two fine rscention rooms
with narao1et gooripos and Ioftv windoD.s
90 ,iaoa,, a. +bo e-,rfr,i ,,is,,o,.I ,o- -,
So-,,or abhesso. ,a;rto1 ~ ~. ra.ta,o
ton In one OF these saloon stands Curl