The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-01

Ill tnose VINO may have suffered In
Justice at his hands, expresses the
deepest love and affection for his do
voted wife Queen Olga, and asks for
the blessing OF Heaven upon his "be-
loved little Greece"
1t may be hoped that tho successes
which have been achieved by the Ser
Wan army in the war with Turkey
may at length relieve tho masses or
the Servian people OF the Arm con-
viotion that King Peter is unlucky.
This impression originates. not as one
might be tempted to believe. with the
shocking murder of King Alexander
and Queen Draga. which resulted in
Peter being elevated to their blood
stained throne. but to his action with
IN year after his accession, In
changing tho patron saint OF his fam
lily.
The patron saln. Of his family as
far back as could be traced had al
ways becn Saint Clemens. whose day
comes in February. King Peter
caused an edict to be published in
the Official Gazette at Belgrade to tho
erect that he had given up Saint Glenn
ems, and appointed Saint Andrew in
stead, as tho patron saint of his house
OF course, all the Servians know
that st Clemens is a very poor saint
compared with st. Andrew. But they
have never been quite suro that St
Andrew has felt battered by the com
plilnent, and have apprehended that
st. Clemens, In spite of his not being
q very powerful Saint in heaven,
would nevertheless do some MISCHIEF
on earth to avengo himself for the
public sights thus placed upon him by
King Peter, 1t is to the influence OF
st Clemens that they attribute the
troubles by which King Peter has been
harassed since his accession to the
crown: troubles of political OF IL
nancial, and of Il domestic order, and
when people like the Servlans believe
that n man has incurred the wrath OF
saint, and is under his ban. they
are apt to draw away from him. lest
they should share his misfortunes
King Peter made the change on the
ground that 1t was on ST. Andrews
Day in 1908 that his grandfather
captured the fortress of Belgrade from
the Turks. But that has not appeared
to the Servians sufficient excuse for
turning down st. Clemens.
The patron saint plays very i'm
portant role in political and domestic
lifs In tho southeast OF Europe.
When the Pagan ancestors Of the Ser
VANS In the seventh century embraced
Christianity, the missionaries gave
every family a. Christian saint. to be
tnenceiorth the Specinl protector and
patron of that family, In tho place or
its old household idol.
Instead OF killing animals In honors
of their idols. the newly converted
Christians were instructed to boil a
dish of wheat sweetened with honey,
and to offer it to the saints, together
with special cake, which was to be
cut with special prayers by priest,
VINO would then take half the cake
for himself. The dish of sweet
ened wheat bears to this day tho
name OF the Kolyive, which means "a
sacrifice OF which the throat has been
cut"
King Peter does honor to st. An
draw in this form every August. On
St. Andrews Day. The sweetened
wheat and the cake, decorated with
figures of doves, lambs and crosses,
are placed on the altar. throughout
the special services, nc the close or
which the Archbishop Metropolitan
blesses the Kolyive. cuts the cake,
sheds a few drops OF red wine over 1t,
making the sign Of the cross, and
then calls on the King to take his
half. The Kings half. of the cake and
also the boiled wheat are therenpon
conveyed in procession to the throne,
room, and every visitor who calls dur
ing the day to offer his good wishes
to the King is required to take a
spoonful of the boiled wheat and eat
1t there, In lien of drinking the health
of his sovereign
Copyright 1913, by the Brentwood
Company