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Show I' - CHRIST HAS ARISEN ? AND ALL RUSSIA I REJOICES, Spectacular Scenes Attend Gnat Religious Ceremony in St. Petersburg. r-. Czar Descends From Throne and Democracy Reigns Supreme. Priceless Ikons Taken From Their Sacred Resting1 Places That tho People May See Them. T. PETERSBURG, April 10. The W Russian church and the Russian 3 people at midnight last night celebrated cel-ebrated the Tessurroctlon of tho Savior. For dramatic effect this Russian Easter service Is unrivaled. For this one night the spirit of genuine democracy democ-racy reigns In autocratic Russia, Upon the acclaiming of the arising of Christ the great White Czar salutes- with a kiss the sentry posted at tho palace door, and the highest dignitary and the 'owest mujlk exchange the joyful tidings tid-ings with equal freedom. In honor of the great religious festival, festi-val, Russia's capitol was adorned and illuminated. From every building hung the national colors, and in every window win-dow burned a candle, a privilege permitted per-mitted on this red letter night of the Russian calendar. Priceless Relics. H The most popular places of the cele- H bratlon of the event were Peter the H Great's little house across tho Neva, H where reposes the ikon which, accord- H ing to Russian legends, saved the day H at Poltava; the Cathedral of Our Lady Hl of Hasan, who helped' drive tho Poles H back from Moscow, where are pre- H served Napoleon's eagles and the bat- 1 tered French battle flags, and the fa- H mous cathedral of St Isaac, where are H deposited ikons world-renowned for H their priceless gems one of which Jew- H el? is the mate of the celebrated Kohl- H The service here was attended by the H rntlre diplomatic corps, while pressing H .iround the ouside unnumbered thou- Hj .sands stood for hours with tapers in H their hands awaiting the announcement H - that the Savior had arisen. But it was H in the service in the chapel of the wln- Hl ler palace, which was attended by the H Emperor, who is the head of the church H as well as of the state, that the real in- H " terest centered. Although the spectacle Hl ihere was beyond the reach of the mul- H tltude, each individual felt a -personal H connection therewith, knowing that the H v Emperor's own words signaled over the Hj city would proclaim the glad tidings. Hj The scene at the palace was one of Hl stately magnificence. The ceremony H was carried out in accordance with the H p- strictest formality. Tho Russian court, H the nobility, councillors, ministers of H the empire, all the high dignitaries of H state and of the army and navy came H " by Imperial command and were ranged H . about the walls of a long succession of H salons, through which the rcprescnta- H live of the Associated Press passed and H where the guards of honor from the H erack regiments of the Russian army H produced a vivid impression of the mlli- H - lary strength of the empire. 1 T Scene From Fairy Land. j The rank and beauty of the empire H were assembled. The gorgeous blaze of H multicolored uniforms, the picturesque H national dresses of the court ladles and Hl the glitter of stars and decorations H made a brilliant picture. In the cele- H brated marble concert hall, which was H flooded with light from innumberablo H electric lamps, were gathered the maids H of honor of the Empress, who were re- H quired on this occasion to wear the WMMl Russian costume sarafans of brightest H hued velvet, keokoshnlks, resembling H - tiaras, ablaze with gems and gold em- H . broidery. Troopers from the Chevalier H Guard, resplendent in white tunics and H r scarlet Burcoats, mounted guard with H drawn swords. At the door of the Hi rhapel two gigantic grenadiers, attired H In superb uniforms, acted as sentinels. Hf The doors leading to the imperial Hj apartments were guarded by the Em- H pcror's Mamelukes and Arab footmen, H their swarthy faces half hidden by their H fantastic head dress, in keeping with H their Oriental garb, H At 11:30 a second gun boomed from H the fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul H on the opposito side of the Neva. "Wlth- H In the church tho solmcn service was H proceedings In tho presence of only the 1 ( officiating clergy and Court Chaplain H ' Tangs heft. Behind the ikonastas which H concealed Uie holy sopulcher from all H eyes tho mystery took place. H ( Then the court chaplain, in gorgeous H vestments, approached the golden H , gates, the doors flew open, and the H winding sheet was lifted. The tomb j ; was empty. Turning, as Christ's dls- H , clples did, the clergy, with the banners H , of the church aloft, passed to the door, H seeking the vanished Savior. As they 1 reached the entrance the Emperor's H ' Arabs threw wide the portals, reveal- H J ing the imperial procession. H Grand in Its Solemnity. H Simultaneously tho Imperial choir of Hl ( men and boys, which is uncqualcd even by the Slstlne choir of Rome, began to 1 ohant softly. Slowly and majestically H the procession moved into the chapel, the clergy retreating to the high altar H is it advanced. The members of tho imperial family walked arm in arm in the order of their rank, which dlsre- garded the ties of matrimony, the Em- " pcror's sisters, for instance, being far h ahead of their husbands. I The Emperor wore the uniform of x the foot guards, with the blue ribbon 1 of the Order of St. Andrew on his ii breast. He escorted his mother, who A was arrayed in spotless white. Tho v, young Empress, also attired in white, 5 leaned on the arm of the heir-apparent. J Before the splendid altar, formed of malachite, lapis lazuli and jasper, in- d laid with gold and jewels, the Imperial m procession halted and Court Chaplain S Yangsheff, In resonant tones, un- C nounced in the old Slavic tongue of the 2 Russian church: ' "Chriet Is risen!" "Christ is risen indeed," replied the Emperor in echo. Am these words wore pronounced tho choir burst forth into a triumpant paean. Outside a signal rockot shot up Into the sky, the cannon at tho fortress roared, and with one voice all the brass throttled bells of tho city rang out a wild peal. At the same time all the churches, which had been darkened until un-til then, were brightly illuminated, and huge torches flared up at the four angles an-gles of the Cathedral of St. Isaac In the streets every window was candle-lighted candle-lighted and every head wao bared. Then followed scenes of rejoicing; men and women, Irrespective of class, embraced and kissed each other before returning home to the Easter feast. Similar rejoicing occurred at the palace. pal-ace. After Paschal hymns and mass had been sung tho Emperor embraced first tho Empress, then his mother and then the other members of the imperial family, kissing each three times and exchanging the salutation, "Christ is risen. He is risen Indeed." The conclusion of the service was marked by the firing of one hundred and twenty guns from the fortress. As the Czar left the chapel he stopped to greet the sentinels at the door, kissing them each on the cheek, the soldler.9 responding re-sponding reverently to their "sovereign's greeting. Through each hall the. Emperor Em-peror passed, repeating the saluatlons, taking care to address the guards, who responded at present "arms. Then the Imperial family withdrew to the malachite drawing-room, where, with a number of particular guests, they sat down to an Easter supper. MOSCOW, April 0. On account of the war in the far East the devout Muscovites Musco-vites celebrated Easter week with unusual un-usual fervor. The decorations and the Illuminations of the houses showed no falling off from other years, although the citizens were disappointed over the non-arrival of tho Emperor. The churches were thronged all day with worshipers adoring the burled Savior, but after nightfall a majority of the inhabitants in-habitants headed for the Kremlin. The immense square around the t6wer of Ivan-Veloky was soon filled by those who were unable to And room inside the Kremlin's many churches and monasteries, monas-teries, It seemed fairy like to see the countless belfries suddenly lighted. The old Kremlin also was soon ablaze with thousands of lights. Tho clock In the Savior's gates chimed midnight, a gun boomed out, and the great bell In the towner of Ivan-Veloky took up the strain. Then all the bells in Moscow's thousand churches rang out thp glad tidings of the Savior's resurrection and the multitude In the Kremlin square lit tapers and exchanged Easter congratulations. |