The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-30
CITY BLOOMS AS THOUGH
WAR WERE REMOTE

ST PETERSBURG, April 30.-East-
er day, Russia's greatest festival of Joy
and peare, was uShered in with none
of the disorder and rioting that was
dreaded. As for centuries. throngS Of
the Russian faithful throughout the
empire gathered at midnight in and
around the cathedrals. churches and
shrines to greet the risen Lord and to
mark the end of the Lenten gloom and
sadness of Passion week with illumina-
tcns. the pealing of bells and shouts Of
Halleluiah, Christ is risen; He is risen
indeedi
The credulous authorities took pre-
cautions on grand scale as II the re-
ports of plots to destroy the Easter
gladness We're really credited, and in
st. Petersburg. Moscow and other dis
affected centers strong forces CT troops
and police were held in readiness for
any possible emergency. The gov
ernors of practically all the provinces
have issued proclamations declaring
that there is no basis for alarm, and
the government has announced its in
ability and intention to preserve order
throughout the week, especially Mon
day. when disorder is chiefly expected
The absence of the emperor from the
midnight services in either of his cap
itals diminished interest. but the cere-
mortal was carried out in all it's state
illness. The main feature of the serv-
ice, namely, the procession OF the
clergy TO the tomb where the interment
OF the Savior was enacted on Friday
afternoon and the discovery that the
tomb was empty, the search around the
church for the body or the missing
Lord and the angelic; proclamation,
He is risen," which is repeated by
the priests and answered by the con-
gregation with He is risen indeed" is
IL Mt araaaf
II ON the great cathedral of st. Isaacs
in st. Petersburg or the Kremlin to
the humblest village church or the
canvas tabernacle of the soldiers in the
field In all the larger churches the
service is marked by manifestly in
tened chorals by vested choirs of men
and boys, resonant voices of priests
and deacons. the glitter of golden vest
ments, the heavy smoke of incense and
the endless repetition of the message
of joy
When the signal OF the resurrection
was given by cannon from the fortress
of St. Peter and ST Paul the city sud-
denly burst into light. because OF resi-
nous wood being kindled, towers and
domes of all the churches being ilIu-
minated, designs blazing forth from
the facades of buildings and candles
being lighted I'm every window. Kisses
of greeting were exchanged between
relatives and friends, and though
among the higher classes in st. Pc
tersburg the custom of general en-
bracing is waning. as are other ancient
observances. among the great mass of
the people everyone greeted his neigh
Dor with a kiss.
After the conclusion Of services the
time for feasting set in. Every house
IN Russia, from the richest to the
poorest, spread a loaded table, and
people returning from the churches ate
and drank late into the morning. The
feasting win be continued during the
day. no caller being allowed to leave a
house without tasting it's hospitality.
The emperor and the imperial family
attended services privately at Tsar-
skoe Selo instead of at the winter pal
ace, as in 1904, or at the kremlfn. as
they formerly did. In the absence of
the imperial family principal interest
attached TO the state service at ST.
lsaac's cathedral. which was attended
by members OF the diplomatic CORPS and
the higher members OF officialdom. but
the services at the Kazan cathedral
and st. Alexander Nevski, where re-
pose the bones of Russia's great war
rtor and of the house OF Peter the
Great, and where Is enshrined the mi
raculous ikon worn by the founder of
st. Petersburg, were extremely popu-