Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-12-14
B1istellat1ea'1s 8eadiag.
sHRINEs OF THE KREMLIN.
w. E. Curtis Tells of What He Saw
In Moscow.

w. E. Curtis Tells Of What He Saw
| In Moscow.
Each Of the several ancient churches
in the Kremlin at Moscow has its own
history, associations and uses, and is
celebrated for some particular reason.
St. Basirs, the fantastic structure out
side the walls, Is the burial place Of an
idiot-in fact, two idiots. st. Basil of
Moscow, reposes in one Of the chapels
in a marble tomb with an iron chain
and collar, which he used to wear, ly-
ing upon it. Another idiot, Ivan. call
ed the big Cap" from an helmet
which he always wore as penance, lies
in another chapel, under the pavement,
and his helmet fB hung over the altar.
Both of these holy idiots used to go
about the empire stark naked, covered
with filth, their long hair tangled
about their shoulders and filled with
vermin, and wearing iron collars and
girdles with dragging chains. Supersti-
tious Russians, who had a reverence for
idots, assumed that they were favored
by the Almighty. and accepted them
as prophets and men of great holiness,
and having miraculous powers, and
when Ivan the Terrible became re-
morseful and thought it necessary to
make some atonement for killing his
own son with his iron staff he built
this "colored nightmare" as some one
has called it. in honor Of Basil, the
idiot saint, and was so proud Of its
barbaric beauty that he put out the
eyes of the architect for fear some 9TH
er sovereign would be jealous and at
tempt to duplicate or surpass 1t.
It has been described as "incoherent
architecture" and as violating all the
known rules Of that art 1t is COM
posed Of a large central octagon sur
rounded by eight smaller octagons, con-
nected by labyrinthine passages. Each
octagon has its separate tower. dome
and spire, and each contains a chapel
dedicated to some saint. Around the
base are a serious Of smaller square
towers, IL or Is in number, which are
Of entirely different design from the
rest. The walls and roofs are painted
in the most bizarre style, and the
whole makes an extraordinary freak
entirely worthy Of the most cruel mon
arch that has ever lived and the idiot
to whom it is dedicated.
Babies of the imperial family are US
ually christened in the winter palace
at st. Petersburg. where tourists can
see the baptismal font, piece Of pure,
solid crystal, "a by % by IS inches In
size, with a basin chiseled in the CEN
tire, and heavily embossed on the out
side with gold hlagree representing ILL
les and olive leaves.
The cars are married In the Church
Of the Annunciation; they are crowned
in the Church Of the Assumption, and
before that ceremony they go to con-
fession, attend mass and are anointed
in the Church Of Michael the Archan-
gel. All Of these churches are inside
the Kremlin, within a few hundred
yards of one another.
The coronation Is not mere civil
ceremony, but solemn conservation, the
czar being the head Of the church as
we'll as of the state. It Is preceded by
season Of fasting, prayer and penl-
tence. All the ceremonies attending 1t
have a religious significance. The en-
peror, unlike the other monarchs, Is not
a passive recipient Of the sceptre, but
Is himself the principal and almost the
only figure in the entire scene. He re-
cites aloud from memory the confession
of the orthodox faith: and kneeling
alone before the beautiful altar which
contains the host, concealed in mug
get of gold Weighing 80 pounds (pre-
sented to the church by Siberian MI
ner because Of the fancied resemblance
in the form to the Mount Sinia), he Of
fers a prayer in his own behalf-that
he may guide the destinies Of the state
wisely and administer justice among
his people. He places the crown upon
his own head, and then alone enters the
innermost sanctuary and takes with
his own hand from the altar the ele-
ments of bread and wine.
Previous to this ceremony he has
been anointed by the metropolitan OF
the church with the sacred oil, which
contains q portion Of the precious oint-
ment used by Mary Magdalene at the
Savior's feet. The few drops taken
from the original receptacle-an ala
baster vase overlaid with copper sent
from Constantinople when Christian
ity was first introduced into Russia
are replaced by an equal portion of the
'chrism," which is prepared annually
with much solemnity by the metropol-
itan Of the church and by a committee
Of the higher clergy. 1t is composed or
nearly 80 different elements. pure oil
and white wine being the basis. inter-
mixed with a great variety Of gums,
balsams, essential oils and spices. The
caldrons in which it is mixed and the
16 jars into which it Is poured. each jar
representing a diocese of the church,
are of solid silver and the entire outfit
weighs 1900 pounds.
The czar is anointed in manner
similar to the formula Of baptism, the
metropolitan dipping a small feather
in the oil and touching the eyes that
they may see correctly, the ears that
they may hear correctly, the hands
that they may do no wrong, the feet
that they may tread in the paths OF
righteousness, the breast that he may
always face his responsibilities, and
the back that he may have strength to
bear the burdens of the people.