Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
BY Isabel P. Hapgood
OWHERE does Easter. wi

- - OW HERE does Easter, with It's
nj festival joy, seem so plainly typi-
' cal of new life and the Resurrec-
tion as in Russia. For when the devout
place their Easter eggs beneath the
holy pictures dkonD the pussy willow
which they have received as a palm"
on the preceding Sunday because 1t is
the only green thing procurable) is
there to remind them of budding, grow
Ing life. The emperor in his palace
and the poorest peasant in the land
alike receive the pussy willow palm
But whereas the peasant tries to keep
his with his ikoni until the next Palm
Sunday the emperor and his family
usually plant theirs in the hanging gar
den of the winter palace, over the rid
ing school, a hundred feet in the air, or
in the private garden of the Alexander
palace, at Tsarskoe-Selo where in time
they grow into good sized trees.
Sometimes the Russian Easter corre-
spends with that feast in the western
church, sometimes (as this year, it
falls a week later. The chief reason is
this: In the eastern Catholic church the
rule is that Eastern shall neither pre-
cede nor coincide with the Jewish Pass
over, but must follow it, whereas the
western church pays no attention to
this point. The grand church service
begins a little before midnight, followed
by mathis and the liturgy. Naturally,
to- Dot
celebration is in the cathedral of the
winter palace, where full court dress
and dazzling uniforms add to the effect
of the splendid vestments of the &C.
clesiasticS and the impressive service.
At this service, as at all services which
take place on national festivals, even
In the morning, the empress, the grand
duchesses and all the ladies of their
courts wear the becoming and pic
turesque costume adopted by Catherine
1.-THE dress of the court in the days
when the czars reigned at Moscow.
Dazzling Church Parade
1t consists of train, bodice and long
angel sleeves of velvet, with an apron
front of white satin. From the coronet
shaped headdress, common alike to the
court ladies Of the olden time and the
peasant maidens of the present day,
hangs a long veil. In the case of the
empress and the grand duchesses this
coronet is made of superb diamonds
and the veil is of priceless lace; also
they wear what materials, colors and
patterns of gold or silver embroidery
they like. But the coronets of the
court ladies are of velvet to match their
trains, which are of the prescribed
colors, with definite patterns of en,-
broidery, and their wells are of tulle.
The gowns are cut low, off the
shoulders, and when the splendid Jewels
for which the Russian court is famous
are added the spectacle is decidedly
dazzling for Church parade" of II
o'clock in the morning, which is the
usual hour, except at Easter, for pretty
nearly everything in Russia, except
balls and theatrical performances, be-
gins with religious service, especially
at court.
A little before midnight the procession
of priests, in their finest vestments OF
cloth of gold or silver, sets out on it's
ceremonial search for Christ, through
a long suite of rooms In the palace.
When they return and announce HE is
not here; he is risen!" the great choir,
in their exquisite cassocks of crimson
and gold, burst out in joyful song. No
where else on earth can one hear such
divine church music. so divinely sung,
as at the palace by the imperial choir,
and once heard 1t can never be for
gotten.
But the palace cathedral is small,
and a scene almost equally magni-
fcent, and more impressive in some
respects. is to be seen at the great
Cathedral of st. Isaac. There the
members of the diplomatic corps for
whom there is not room at the palace