The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-07-29
RUSSIAN PlLGRIMS.N
HOW AGED PEASANTS ATTAIN CASTE
IN THEIR VILLAGES.
They Travel Far Away to Pray at
Distant Shrlnes and Monusteries.
The Holy Places They Visit and at
which They Are Fed and Lodged.

Distant ShrIncs and Monnsteries.
The Holy Places They Visit and at
which They Are Fed and Lodged.
When the SHOWS of winter melt In
Russia and the woods are fragrant
with violets and the lee In great masses
floats down the rivers TO the sea the
peasant who is on the threshold of old
Hge, tired of long inaction, comes forth
from his izha and looks abroad
Strange thoughts have been stirring In
him for several months, recollections Of
vow that he once made that, II hcav-
en- willcd, he would one day worship in
Il certain monastery and there venerate
| the relies of its saints. For many
| long year ii seemed rs If this VOW
would never be fulfilled, for there was
work TO do In the village of which he
could in no way rid himself, and still
more pressing WIS the burden of
numerous family that could not be left.
But HOW the children have grown up
and can fend for themselves, and the
father and mother are no longer of the
same value To the community as labor
ers. Indeed were they 10 quit the viii
lage they would not be much missed.
| One way, however, remains for them
TO redeem their lost position and to Ell
title themselves for the rest of their
| lives To the respect of Nil their neigh
| bors, II Is 10 go ON II far distant pill
grimage.
lnnumerable are the sacred places In
| Russia and out OF Russia which the
pilgrims visit On the sterile tundras
TINT end In the lonely strand where the
waves of the White sea ling their fonm
upon the wallis of the Solovctsky mon
| astery; on the quays OF Odessa, await
| Ing the steamer that viii carry them To
Jaffa. or on the monotonous straight
roads that for vcrst upon verst lead by
forests of white stemmcd birch or som
Der pine To the resting place of st.
Serge, near Moscow, or of the saints
who sleep In the catacombS of Pet
chersk ut klev, there may be seen
bands of pilgrims, staff i'll hand jour
neying on foot, through poverty or In
accordance with VOW to their far
off goal Tho men often wear clumsy
but comfortable shoes of plated bnrlt,
stockings fastened round the leg with
string, breeehes reaching 10 the knees
and wide, buggy, flowing coats attach
ed To the waist with n eolored belt.
The women hive colored undersklrt.
n short dress and bodice all in one and
bright hued handkerchief wrapped
round the head, II knapsack on the
back and II gourd or kettle fastened
TO II girlle. But the costumes are
very various, and IT would he impossl-
BILE TO describe them all
These pilgrims beg for money com
parativcly rarely. They have the self
respect and Independence which betit
people presumably SO pious. Perhaps
they hive saved for this pilgrimage for
many years; they are hardy up To the
last degree At night they sleep where
| they can in n monastery or perhaps In
sheds that have been erected for them
| by the road, and when they wish TO
drink they stop and ask for water Mt II
peasants hut, where they are respect
fully received If they are short OF
bread the poor moujik will give them
some If he has nnv for fine charitable
instinct of the people In RUSSIA Is mex.
tinguIshable. And pcrhnps too. they
will rouder some service ia fine homes
flint they visit TolstoI has described
n nIIrrlm ia the Holy Land who found
n whole family dying of starvation and
set them nm again. And when Satur-
day arrives and NIL good people are
hound by their religion 10 take n bath.
then men and women will plunge into
| the river regardless of thc want of
bathing machines and carclcss of NIL
bathing regulations.
Glad after this intcrminnbln march
Of many weeks IA the RussInn pIlgrim
when he secs far Off flashing against
fine oznrn sky fine do,ucs of the church
90 of the holy plucrs where he is TO
worsblp and esnoclnllv is he glad if 1t
he n town Ike KIey TINT stands on a