HOW THE CZAR WAS CROWNED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3708, 4 June 1883, Page 4

HOW THE CZAR WAS CROWNED.

Alexander 111. was crowned in Moscow on Sunday, the 27th of May. As the coronation is one of the most brilliant ceremonies in the world, the following description of it (from a Russian soiu'co) may be read with interest: —

The great ceremony lias always been performed in the Church of the Holy Assumption, within the walls of tho Kremlin at Moscow. The great Kremlin is an OCtagOn plot Of ground of jn.-my acres on :i high elevation, surrounded by high walls and fortifications, and contains four Crown palaces, three cathedrals, tho headquarters of tho Imperial Guards, tho Governor's residence, a university, and a number of monasteries and nunneries. The appearance of the Kremlin is very striking, as tho walls .•ire white, the fortifications emerald green, the entrances rose-tinted, and the roofs of tho cathedrals gilded, the whole forming a wonderful combination. The coronation procession begins to form at the cavalry barracks, four miles distant from the Kremlin.

Early in tlio (lay appointed for tho corcjnoiiy .sixty heralds, mounted on creamcolored horses and commanded by a master of ceremonies, appear before the gates of the barracks find blow a salvo, upon which thu colonel of tho regiment appears and uska what they want of him. " The Czar commands thee follow me," is the answer, and tho gates arc thrown open and the regiment, which has been expecting the HUinmous, gallops out and follows tho heralds. Tho heralds then proceed to the luirrauka of tho lancers, where the samo thing takes place, then to tho university, then to the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, whore the clergy join tho procession, thou to tho law courts, where tho judges fall in,

then tv tlio headquarters of the marshals of the nubility, tlio .staff officers, the several professions, tlio governors, the prefects, the deputations from every part of the empire, the trade μ-uihls, &c, eiiili body joining at a separate place, and all being summoned by the heralds, as in tlio first (.•use. The procession goes on swelling until it readies enormous proportions, so much so that when tlio head of it arrives at the Kremlin the tail is still at the other end of the town. Arriving at St. Demetrius gate they find it closed. Tho heralds then blow their trumpets, and the commander of the citadel appears and demands what they want, to which the crowd replies "Tho Czar." "And what for r" asks the commander. "To crown him the most powerful of tho powerful," is the reply, and the gates ily open. Tho Metropolitans of Moscow,* Kazan, Novgorod, and Kieif here head the procession, and, with tho deputations from every part of tho Empire , , they advance to the palace and t'orin in front of it. These deputations consist of Russians, ■Roumanians, Kirghiz, Chinese, Mingrelisius, Bashkirs, Poles," Georgians, Circassians, Calmucks, Armenians, Turkomans, Tartars, Escpvimaux, Afghans. Bulgarians, Laplanders, Mongolians, Finns, Persians, and Bakharians, all in their respective national costumes. Tho Metropolitans then advance and call upon tlio Czar to como forward, upon which ho appears at the portico, dressed in the uniform of a Colonel of the Imperial Guards, with the Empress, dressed as a Russian peasant, on his ami. The instant tho deputations are aware of the Imperial presence they kneel, and being of tho Czar what they want of him, tlio Metropolitan of Moscow replies that they have been sent from far and wide to see the Czar anointed, so that they can return to their homos and assure those who sent them that the Czar is verily the Lord's anointed, and that they may obey none but him. Theufc all proceed to the Cathedral of the IMy Assumption, the Czar and Czarina walking; between the bishops and tho deputations. Arriving at the church, tho Czar and wife are .shown to ordinary thrones near those of the bishops, and the special service immediately begins. After the first lesson is read the Metropolitans conduct the Emperor and Empress to a canopy of scarlet velvet, richly embroidered in gold, the principal figiire being the double-headed Russian eagle. Under this canopy is an elevated platform upon which are the historical throne of the Czar Vladimir Monomague and an ordinary arm-chair for the Empress, also a table upon which _ lire the .sceptre and crown of Constantinus Mouomachu.s, a sword and a mantle of ermine. The nobles now advance from the south of the Cathedral and surrounding the platform draw their swords and place them at, tho foot of the Czar. The Bishop of Kazan then asks the Emperor in a loud voice if he is a true believer, to which he replies by reading the Lord's prayer and the Apostles' Creed of the Greek Church. The Bishop next says: — If there be any of you here present knowing any impediment for which Alexander, son of Alexander (or other name), should not be crowned by the grace of God, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias, of Moscow, k<;., kc, enumerating (lie several titles and Juniors, let him come forward now, in the name of the Holy Trinity, and show what the impediment is, or let him remain dumb for ever!

This is repeated three times, and upon no objection ljei :g raised, he lays hi.s hand m>oll the head of the Czar, who immediately kneels. At this point the Metropolitan of Moscow takes the mantle of ermine from the table and throws it over the kneeling Czar, saying: "Cover and protect thy people as this robe covers and protects Mice :" the Emperor replying, '"I will, I will, I will, God helping," and kissing the prelate's hand. The Bishop of Novgorod now places the sceptre in the Czar's hand, saving : " May thine hand which holds this wither the day thou art unjust ;" the answer being, " Be it so ; " after which tho Bishop of Kieif places the crown upon the Emperor's head. At this point the Empress kneels beside her husband, who partly covers her with the cloak of ermine, and also holds his crown above her head for a few seconds, without, however, placing it upon her head. The Czar and Czarina remain in prayer for several minutes amid a deadly silence, and the instant they rise to their feet bishops, nobles, deputation?), clergy, and all present kneel to them, shouting, " Long live the Czar !" Tho cry is taken up by the hundreds of thousands who are outside, the heralds sound their trumpets, guns arc fired, and bells are rung. The Czar commands the people to rise, and is again surrounded by the nobles, who receive their swords back from the Imperial bauds, the Emperor saying, "It is thy country's,' , to which the noble replies, "and my Czar's." Mass is again resumed and the Emperor proceeds alone to the altar, passing through the Golden Gates of the Iconostasini, which are closed behind Itim, thus hiding" him from view. Hero, after pnrtakin.tr of the Holy Communion, the Metropolitan of Moscow anoints his head, temples, eyelids, lips, nostrils, oars, breast, and hands, saying : " Behold the seal of tho Holy Ghost, may it keep thee ever holy." The Gates of the Inconostasini are re-opened, the Czar appears before thorn, and is hailed with shouts of, "Thou art verily by the Lord anointed." Tho Empress advances to the sanctuary and kneels to her lord, who bids her rise, and they walk out of the cathedral arm in arm. At the door is a gilded chariot drawn by twelve white horses, into which they enter, the princes, other members of tho Imperial family, foreign monarchs, guests, ifcc, entering other State chariots.

The procession agains forms as it did on approaching tho Kremlin, and, with its new additions, moves slowly through tlio gaily decors)tod town. According to an old custom, the Czar's carriage instead of being guarded by troops, is surrounded by one hundred maidens belonging to the best Russian families, all dressed in white and holiday garlands of flowers. Court balls and receptions begin in tho evening and last for a fortnight, after which the Court returns to St. Petersburg.