Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-07-17

TV lE use Of beaten silver and gold
for drapery in oil paintings is
, a remarkable and expensive ad.
, III dition and so rare that In only
one place on this continent has
It been used This is in the remark.
able little Russian church in Sitka,
: Alaska In this church of the Greek
rites, which is consecrated in the name
OF the Archangel and Archi-Strateges
Michael, these unusual paintings have
, hung since the time of Russian su-
premacy. They are noted up and down
the length of the Pacific coast.
The church itself is a small wooden
edifce, built in the shape OF a cross.
Its faded green walls are the first sight
that greets one on entering the beauti.
full Sitka harbor. which, with its Is
lands, has been lkened to the Sea of
Japan. lnnumerable ravens fly out
from the little belfry Of the ancient
church to greet all incoming vessels.
The ediiice has three sanctuaries, the
largest Of which is in the middle. AS
Is customary in Russian churches, the
body of the church is separated from
the sanctuary by a screen. and this Is
adorned by paintings with costly sill.
yer castings. In the middle are the
Royal Gates" remarkable for their
carving and through them the Holy
Sacrament is brought. Above these
gates hangs a sumptuous ikon repre-
senting the Lords Supper" in a ca
sing OF silver. Fifty pounds of silver
were used in the other ikons on the
screen, and they represent over $4,000.
These ikons and the paintings in this
little Russian church In far away Alas
ka are remarkable not alone for their
unique treatment with silver. but for
the stories attached to them. The one
showing the Archangel Michael was
given up by the wreck Of the ship
Neva. This ship while on her way to
Sitka was wrecked at the foot of near
by Mount Edgecomb and the sea swal
lowed all the freight and furnishings
except this ikon, which, strange to
, say, was the patron of the Sltka
; church. II was found on the beach
, among the breakers. Quite as remark.
able is the story attached to the ikon
, Of the monks OF the monastery OF
Selovotsk. The crew OF the ship
I, Nasliednik, which was wrecked 20
years ago. gave II because they were
!, saved in a shipwreck of this coast
:, by the merciful dispensation OF God
4 In all these ikons the silver is laid on
. for draperies and ornaments and IL so
= arranged that II is almost impossible
to tell where the painting ceases and
: the silver begins.
The Wonderful Madonna.
But the most remarkable OF the
!, paintings in this old.new world church
" hangs in the little chapel which is a
part OF the church. but opens from
. the main edlfice. This is one OF the
" most wonderful paintings OF the Ma.
donna ever given TO the world. and II
has been aptly named "a pearl OF &c.
clesiastical art" The Slstine Madon.
!, = ma OF Sitka has beauty all her own.
y The face Is lovely and gentle. with an
ineffablo charm. The colorings are In
y subdued tones and the draperies of
u beaten silver seem to blend in a re-
v markable way with the various pig.
u ments. All along the Pacific coast
this beautiful picture OF the Madonna
D. is known and travellers go many miles
, TO see H.
The painting has been compared to
portrayals by Dolci and the various
II presentations Of the same theme by
Murillo. Who would guess that in O
little weather-beaton church. in little
" visited corner OF America, there IA
such a picture and still another paint
W Ing encaBed In silver and studded IN
g. pearls7
When the Royal Gates are opened In
this old edifce all sorts OF precIou,
objects are disclosed. There are gift
~ from Siberia. from Kamschatka and a
re cross said 10 have been made from III,
original cross There are rich vest
b, monts and costly vessels studded Will
gems. One remarkable vessel is uset
m in the ceremony Of blessing the ioayes
70 an all-nlght vigil service in whicl
bread ia distributed This vessel Is o
pure silver and holds specimens OF III,
three principal products OF the soil
"a bread, wine and oil. which the churcl
consecrates for their sanctlficatioi
and that OF the persons who partak,
Of them. In the course of time man,
in disasters have passed over this littl
Russian church. but the cross on IL
tower still shines brightly. as whei
the Russian colonists were supreme
I'm The Russo-American company wer
\. representatives OF n great world pow
er and through them the natives wer
m instructed in the spirit OF the RUSSIA
faith. At length tho Russian Gag wa