Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-30
EASTER IN RUSSIA.
The Great Religious and Social Fee.
tival of the Year.

Ahe ofeat Religious and Social FeB-
tfval of the Year.
When popular Miss Rosebud receives
from friends at .Eastertide numerous grace
full gifts she does pot always think of
them as Easter eggs, so far has America
wandered from tradition In following the
pretty custom borrowed from Russia,
where all Easter offerings go under the
name of "a little red egg
Although manly nations have adopted the
egg-giving custom. nowhere is it carried
on with the lavish and picturesque zest
that prevails in Russia, where Easter is
the great observation-disclosures. national and
socfal-of the Russian year. There both
great and lowly are givers and recipients
of Easter eggs, the car and czarina lead
ing the merry making by giving, under the
name Of "a little red egg" costly presents
to their attendants.
The shops of Russian cities provide very
dainty Easter novelties for the wealthy
donor-gold and silver eggs from Vienna.
forming a matchbox. q vinaigrette. or a
bonbonniere; oval cases Of ivory from
Paris. fnlaid with silver monogram and
filled With gloves Or rich lace; exquisite
crystal eggs made In Moscow. delicate
design cut upon them and containing a
rare jewel-but whatever the gift may be.
It is sent under the national title Of "a
little red egg"
Russia is the earliest home of the Easter
egg custom: 1t can be traced back to re-
hottest antiquity there. This may be at
tributed, perhaps, to the piety of the Mus
covites, who fast rigidly during Lent. re-
framing from eggs as well as from meat.
Consequently, eggs form q large part of
the Easter meals
A Russian physician recently remarked
to an American friend that In the domin-
ion of the car doctor has two haryests
in the year: Butter week-the carnival
which ushers in Lent-and Easter week,
which follows It; for those two festivals
never fail to bring In their train tndiges-
ton and kindred Ills.
1t is difficult for Americans to realize
what Easter means to the devout Russian
who has faithfully observed black fast of
forty days, during which he has been
weaned from all meat. divorced from milk,
cheese, eggs and butter and at dagger
points even with sugar. for the Russian fast
Is stricter than that of any other nation, and
Is observed by the rural classes with a
r1gor to which old and young often sue
cumb
During the last fortnight in Lent people
begin to think of merry bells and to sniff
the fragrance Of saYory yiands, for thus
early the Russian housewife makes dar-
ing excursions beyond the pale of Lenten
restrictions and begins to prepare delica-
cies for those near and dear to her. There
are two special dishes, called paskha and
kooleetch, which are her pride. These
must be made on Good Friday, of curds
pressed in q dainty manner, mixed with
clotted cream, Favored with butter eggs,
vanilla and sugar; they are eaten with a
slice of hard-boiled, blessed egg at the be-
ginning Of every meal every day in Easter
week. On Easter Saturday evening,
pasEha and kooleetch are placed on plates
decorated with flowers, and carried to the
church Enclosure, there to be sprinkled
with holy water and blessed by the priest
after midnight. "a
It is a picturesque, scene-groups of live
ly peasant maids, fl gowns Of bright col
ors, sitting onfA tones, leaning against trees
or resting on <the failings that surround
the churchyafd chatting, singing or pray
ing while .wa3ehinef the decorated dishes
In the fitful Tight of Pickering candles
When the f1rsf part. of the service is over
and the priestE mardh in procession round
the grounds Il Is amusing to note the
eagerness of the naia servants to get their
burdens blessed as quickly as possible and
to hurry home to the house full of guests
who are probably seated at table awaiting
the arrival Of the blessed food, without
which it Is not considered lucky to begin
the banquet that succeeds the long black
feast
In Russian icities ethe paschal feast Ia
celebrated with the uproar Of an American
Fourth of July; besis peal from mornine
till night, cannon are fired, rockets are
sent up and grown people and children
unite In making as much happy hubbub as
possible. After 10 o'clock In the morninr
It bears social resemblance to our New
Year day, as it Is: spent by men in paying