The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-06
PRICELESS TREASURES
IN SOME CHURCHES
Several Have Gold Roofs-One Rus
sian Cathedral Cost $780,
100000.
(Tit-Bits.)


Several English newspaper CORE
spondents have, it is said, recently been
inspecting the 1913 gold ingots and r.
900 sacks of gold coin, representing
some 865,000, 900 in hard cash which
are safely housed in the Imperial Bank
Of Russia and which form Russia's
gold reserve; but the fabulous wealth
Of the Russian churches may be in
spected by the ordinary tourist with
out consulting finance ministers or uni
formed officials
The dome of ST. Isaac's cathedral in
st. Petersburg is the most conspicuous
object in the city. It is covered with
copper, oVerlaid with pure gold; no less
than $4,000 worth Of gold being melt
ed down for the purpose. Entering the
cathedral by the magnificent bronze
doors, fOrty-fOur feet wide and thirty
feet high, said to be the largest in the
world, the visitor is overwhelmed by it's
richness and massive splendOr The
dome Of the shrine is supported by
eight COrinthian pillars of malachite.
given by Prince DemidOff, and valued
at &200 600. The total cost of this ca
thedral is estimated at 10000, 900.
In the Cathedral of the Kazan the
name of the Almighty blazes in dia-
monds from a. cloud of beaten gold, I'M
der which are solid silver doors twenty
feet high, leading to the inner sanctu-
airy. This church contains a beautiful
picture Of the Virgin Mary. covered
with gold and jewels valued at G15.00
In the Monastery Of St. Alexander New
ski, near the end of the Nevski Pros
pect is the shrine Of the founder, Of
pure silver, weighing no less than $3.50
pounds.
Many Of the churches Of Moscow. and
they number some /, 400, contain treas
ures of enormous value. In the Cathe-
dral Of the Assumption, situated inside
the Kremlin, is the most sacred picture
of Russia the Virgin of Vladimir,
painted by st. Luke. The jewels which
adOrn 1t are valued at Gas, 600, one en-
erald alone being said to be worth G10,-
900. Napoleon took from the church
five tons of silver and cwt. of gold :;
but its most precious treasures were
concealed previous to the French in
vasiOn and afterward restored.
Near by, in the Cathedral of the An
nunciation, with it's many golden
domes, are a pavement Of agate and
Jasper and the celebrated icon of the
Virgin Of the Don, it's most priced pos
session.
The icon of the Iberian Mother of
God has a small chapel to itself, just
outside the Kremlin. This icon is Oc-
casiOnally taken out in a gorgeous car
riage drawn by six horses, with bare
headed attendants, to attend the sick
or dying. The fees for such visits
amount to G10 900.
The Cathedral of the Holy Savior in
Moscow is probably the most magnifi-
cent church in the world. It's five cupO-
las are covered with pure gold one
eighth inch In thickness. It's internal
decorations are magnificent and very
costly. This church is the nations
thank-offering for the deliverance of
Moscow from the French. It took fifty
years to build. and its cost has been
estimated at 100000 sterling
The robes of the Russian clergy are
the richest in the world. In the House
of the Holy Synod, inside the Kremlin,
may be seen vestments of fabulous
value. One is -embellished with the
Nicene Greed embroidered in pearls
There are no fewer than seven mitres
studded with diamonds, rubies and en-
eralds, also golden croziers of rare
workmanship. The boundless wealth
gorgeous decorations and endless mag
nif1cence of the churches are in strange
contrast TO the poverty stricken, un-
kempt peasants who throng the
churches at all hours of the day.