Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-07-25
RUSSIAN PILGRIMS.
HOW AGED PEASANTS ATTAIN CASTE
IN THEIR VILLAGES.
They Travel Far Away 10 Pray At
Distant Shrines and Monasteries.
The Holy Places They Visit and at
which They Are Fed and Lodged.

OAstant Snraoee ana AOmastertes
The Holy Places They Visit aud at
which They Are Fed and Lodged.
When the SHOWS of winter melt In
Russia and the woods are fragrant
with violets and the ice in great masses
floats down the rivers to the sea the
peasant who is on the threshold of old
age, tired Of long inaction. comes forth
from his izba and looks abroad.
Strange thoughts have been stirring In
him for several months, r~ecollections Of
a vow that he once made that, II heav-
en- willed, he would one day worship In
a certain monastery and there venerate
the relics of its saints. For many q
long year it seemed as II 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 was the burden Of q
numerous family that could not be left.
But now 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 to quit the VII.
lage they would not be much missed.
One way, however. remains for them
to redeem their lost position and to IN.
title themselves for the rest Of their
lives to the respect Of all their neigh
bors. 1t ID to 60 on a far distant pill
grimage.
Innumerable are the sacred places In
Russia and out Of Russia which the
pilgrims visit. On the sterile tundras
that end in the lonely strand where the
waves Of the White sea ding their foam
upon the walls Of the Solovetsky mon
astery; on the Quays Of Odessa, await
ing the steamer that will carry them to
Jana, or on the m~0notonous straight
roads that for verst upon verst lead by
forests Of white stemmed 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 at Kiev, there may be seen
bands Of pilgrims, star in hand, Jour-
neying on foot. through poverty or in
accordance with a vow, to their far
or goal. The men often wear clumsy
but comfortable shoes Of plated bark,
stockings fastened round the leg with
string, breeches reaching to the knees
and wide. baggy, flowing coats attach.
ed to the waist with a colored belt.
The women have q colorsd underskirt,
4 short dress and bodice all in one and
4 bright hued handkerchief wrapped
round the head, Q knapsack on the
back and 4 goprd or kettle fastened
to a girdle, But the costumes are
very various. and it would be impossi-
bic to describe them al.
These pilgrims beg for money com
paratively rarely. They have the self
respect and independence which beft
people presumably 20 pious. Perhaps
they have saved for this pilgrimage for
many years; they are hardy up to the
last degree. At night they sleep where
they can, In a 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 at 4
peasants hut, where they are respect
fully received. If they are short Of
bread the poor mouJik will give them
some, If he has any. for the charitable
instinct Of the people In Russia Ii mex
tinguishable. And perhaps, too, they
will render some service to the homes
that they visit. Tolstoi has described
a pilgrim to the Holy Land who found
a whole family dying Of starvation and
set them up again. And when Satur-
day arrives, and all good people are
bound by their religion to take a bath,
then men and women will plunge into
the river regardless Of the want Of
bathing machines and careless Of all
bathing regulations.
Glad, after this interminable march
Of many weeks, is the Russian pilgrim
when he sees far on, flashing against
the azure sky, the domes Of the church
es Of the holy places where he ia to
worship, and especially is he glad II 1t
be a town, like Kiev, that stands on q
range of wooded hills, breaking the
monotony Of the endless plain. Sing
ing q more joyous hymn, he approach
e. eagerly, for he knows that there are
food and lodging assured him at his
destination. At Jerusalem there Is an
immense convent built, supported BY
the Russian government, which IL well