West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-10-21
Jcwelcd Churches Of Petrograd

Churches I'm the City OF Peter tho
Great. which we now call Petrograd.
are the most splendid of all modern
churches.
| Thore is curious contrast between
their wonderful costliness and their
moderncss. for Russians show their
creed in gold and precious gems.
st. Isaac Cathedral is a large mass
OF gloomy vastnoss, but within thic
gloom lies untold wealth. From its
magnificent dome the whole city can
be seen stretching out before tho eve.
Each step OF this church is made of
n single stone, the pillars OF malachitc
and lapis lazuli. The beauty of this
church cannot be compared with any
church In the Western world. for it
surpasses them all.
The Cathedral of the Lady OF Krazan
Is another wonder OF this place, whore
the name OF the Almighty blazes forth
forever in diamonds, where half n ton
OF silver shows the outburst OF Cos
sack piety. Within this church pearls
and sapphires seem OF little value:
they are used In profusion. This cdI-
flee dates back only TO 1911.
Wealth I'm Russia shows itself more
In evidence I'm the decoration and
building of religious structures than
In almost anything else. says the New
York Evening World.
Any reason at all seems a good
reason I'm Russia to build n church.
The moment one is found, n public
subscription is started and tho church
begun. 1t soon becomes n thing OF
beauty. If gold and gems can make it
so.
Where Alexander III fell. there has
risen a new church., whose wonder
and richness In evident I'm the blue
and gold cupolas. These are visible
throughout the entire city OF Petro-
grad
In It's center are the very paving
stones on which Alexander fell and
the soil about them stained with his
blood. IL was perfectly natural TO the
Russians to build such n solid. sensi-
Bile. and costly memorial TO him. hut
they also built n tiny chapel on the
Nevsh. simply TO MI up an empty
space where the public market had
once stood. When IL was burned
down subscription was Immediately
started. and this tiny chapel built.
and II is here that so many passersby
stop FOR meditation and deyotiong
that their number often interferes
with the traffic OF this thoroughfare.
This Is one church that by com
parison looks plain and simple and
decidedly unpretentious, but this one
Is rich in associations.
A splre like a needle rises almost
from the Neva. Here you will see
dungeons behind and the water I'm
front This church and the dungeons
are both dedicated to st. Peter and
st. Paul.
This prison Is a dark, dull. silent |
place. No whisper has ever pene-
trated its walls. no secret has ever
escaped from IT. The church is open
to tell about IL. Here you may gaze
throughout it's narrow gloomy interior
upon all the moulderings flags of con-
quered enemies and all the rusting
keys of surrendered towns, of past
glorious victories.
without this church are long rows
OF marble tombs, each under the same
gilt cross. Here lie for all time all
the czars of Russia since Russia be-
came nation The most important
tomb Is that Of Peter the Great. He
1t was who designed the whole town
and everything within It, whose glory
is forever perptuated I'm the name OF
81. Petersburg or Petrograd.- Pitts
burg Sun.