The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-09-14
CzAROWTCH IS BAPTIZED
Splendid Ceremony in the Chapel
of Peterhof Palace.
CZAR'S FAVORS TO HIS PEOPLE

FIXTURE Emperor of All the Russias is
Christened Amid Much Pomp and Ger
emony While Cannon Boom the News
to the Outer World-Description of
the Ceremonies.
st. Petersburg, Russia.-A wave Of
rejoicing and festirity swept over Rus
STA with the rising of the sur on the
christening day of the heir to the
throne, eliminating when the TIE
Deum, softly chanted in the beautiful
little chapel of Peterhof Palace. an
nounced that the ceremony was accom-
plished, and the news was heralded to
the world without by the crash Of
and the Ginning Of innumer-
able church bells, echoing from the
Baltic to the Black Sea and from the
frontiers of Poland to the confines of
the Furthest East.
While some of the festivities usual
on such occasions. for instance, the
state banquet, were omitted On account
Of the grave struggle in which the
country is engaged, nothing was dis
cernable at Peterhof to put the slight
est damper on the christening day.
From every angle and corner Of the
palace flags waved. The historic Wall
Fountains, stretching in magnificent
vista below the palace terrace, broke
into snowy foam and rainbow spray in
the clear sunlight. The soldiers of the
Guards, brilliant in the imperial uni
forms, moved in a continual. swirl of
color around the doorways Of the pal
ace.
Over perfect roads, beneath stately
overhanging trees, the procession
moved through the royal park, a beau
tifully composed, slowly changing pic
ture, perfect to its smallest detail. 1t
was headed by the Master of the Impe-
rial Household, his uniform a blaze of
gold and decorations. He was sur
rounded by a retinue Of officials only q
little less brilliant.
The centre Of interest, of course. was
the golden state carriage, drawn by
eight milk-white horses. with, outriders
and walking grooms. in which sat the
Princess Galatzin, Mistress of the EN-
press Household, with the imperia!
heir.
The procession passed through the
palace to the church. The royal sa-
Ions were filled with a most brilliant
assembIage. The Emperor, his face
wreathed in smiles and with the Dow
ager Empress on his arm, led the pro-
cession, followed by the other members
of the imperial family, the baby bring
ing up the a
Inside the chapel were assembled n.
Pobiedonostzef. Procurator- General of
the Holy Synod, and the members of
the Holy Synod, the Diplomatic Corps.
and imperial guests from every court
in Europe.
The christening party gathered at
the jewel-incrusted font. The baby
was carried by Princess Ga~latzin. and
the cushions on which the child was
borne was supported by General
Reichter and Prince Doigorouki, Aides
de Camp to the Emperor. The spon-
sors represented an Emperor and an
Empress, two Kings. one Princess and
four Grand Duchesses.
The Gar issued a lengthy manifesto
on the occasion of the christening Of
the heir to the throne. 1t is intro
duced by the following message to the
people:
by the will Of God. we. the Car
and Autocrat Of all the RussiaS, Car
of Poland, Grand Duke of Finland,
ETC., announce to u faithful subjects
that on this, the day Of the christening
of our son and heir. the Grand Duke
Alexis N~icholaevitch, following the
promptings of our heart. we turn to-
our great family of the empire. and
with the deepest and most heartfelt
pleasure, even amid these times of ma
tional struggle and difficulty. bestow
upon them some gifts Of our royal IA
vor for their greater enjoyments in
their daily lives"
The various benefits bestowed on
many classes are then enumerated ut
length .