Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-30
Dreaded Disorder Did Not
Appear in st. Petersburg.
CHURCHES THRONGED
TOOK PRECAUTIONS
ON A GRAND SCALE.
After the Easter Services Feasts Were
Spread in All the Homes
in Russia.

ST. PETERSBURG, April 80, $3.50 am
Easter day, Russias greatest festival of
JOY and peace, was ushered In with none
of the disorder and rioting that was dread
ed. AS for centuries, throngs of the Rus
sian faithful throughout the empire gath
cred at midnight in and around the cathe-
drals, churches and shrines to greet the
risen Lord and to mark the end of the Len
ten gloom and sadness Of Passion week
with Nominations the pealng of bells and
shouts of "Halleluiah, Christ is risen; He Is
trate the deep piety and devotion of the
Russian folk than the universal participa-
ton in the midnight festival.
Though for days the people had been fed
with rumors that terrorists and revolution
lists intended to signalize the festival with
series of bomb outrages throughout the
empire, up to o'clock this morning no in
stance Of such an attempt, which would be
sible the excration of the united Russian
nation, has been reported, and it Is be-
lieved the rumors were founded only in
fears.
Authorities Took Precautions.
The credulous authorities. however, took
precautions on grand scale, as II the re-
ports Of plots to destroy the Easter grad
ness were really credited, and in st. Peters
burg Moscow and other disaffected CEN
tiers, strong forces of troops and police
were held in readiness for any possible
emergency.
The governors of practically all the prov
fnces have issued proclamations declaring
that there is no basis for alarm, and the
government has announced its ability and
it's intention to preserve order throughout
the week, especially on Monday, when dis
order is chiefly apprehended.
The absence of the emperor from the mid
night services In either of his capitals d.
miOiShed interest. but the ceremonial
carried out in all it's eaborateness and
stateliness.
In all the larger churches the service
Is marked by xnagnificentIy intoned choralS
by vested choirs of men and boys, resonant
voices of priests and deacons, the glitter
of golden vestments, the heavy smoke of
incense and the endless repetition of the
message of joy.
The Churches Thronged.
Though the church capacity of Russia is
enormous, throngs in the cities were unable
to get inside the churches and the crowds
outside the principal edifices in St. Peters
burg were so dense that the guards had
to force a passage for the PROFESSIONS of
priests around the walls.
When the signal of the resurrection was
given by cannon from the fortress of st.
Peter and st. Paul, the city suddenly burst
into light, beacons of resinous wood being
kindled, towers and domes of all the
churches being Illuminated, designs blaz-
ing forth from the facades of buildings and
candles being lighted In every window.
Kisses Of greeting were exchanged between
relatives and friends. and though among
the higher classes in st. Petersburg the Gus
tom of general embracing is waning,
other ancient observances, among the great
mass of the people every one greeted his
neighbor with kiss.
Feast in Every House.
After the services the time for feasting set
In. Every house in Russia from the rich
est to the poorest, spread loaded table,
and people returning from the churches
ate and drank until late this morning. The
feasting will be continued during the day,
no caller being allowed to leave a house
without tasting its hospitality.
The emperor and the imperial family at
tended services privately at Tsarskoe- Selo,
instead of at the Winter Palace, as in 1904,
or al the kremlin as they formerly did.
In the absence of the imperial family prin-
cipal interest attached to the state services
at st. Isaac's Cathedral. which were attend
ed by members of the diplomatic corps and
the higher of the ofiicialdom. but the SER
vices at the KaZan Cathedral and st. Alex
ander Nevskai where repose the bones of
RuSsia's great warrior, and the house of
Peter the Great, and where is enshrined
the miraculous ikon worn by the founder
of ST Petersburg extremely