Travelogues; . THE WINTER CHURCH 148 MOSCOW visit they are holding the last service of the season ; forspring has come, and it is moving day at Simonoff. The Madonna, who throughout the winter period hasbeen worshipped in this storm-proof basilica, must be trans-ferred this very noon to her summer sanctuary. We are intime to witness the procession. A crowd of fanatical peasantwomen follow the procession from church to church, wring-ing their hands, and crying and sobbing as if in agony. Whythey should thus bewail, as their favorite icon is carried toher most gorgeous shrine, we could not under
Travelogues; . THE WINTER CHURCH 148 MOSCOW visit they are holding the last service of the season ; forspring has come, and it is moving day at Simonoff. The Madonna, who throughout the winter period hasbeen worshipped in this storm-proof basilica, must be trans-ferred this very noon to her summer sanctuary. We are intime to witness the procession. A crowd of fanatical peasantwomen follow the procession from church to church, wring-ing their hands, and crying and sobbing as if in agony. Whythey should thus bewail, as their favorite icon is carried toher most gorgeous shrine, we could not understand. Theonly answer inquiry brought forth was that it was a custom,but whence derived no one could tell. On arrival at theSummer Church their lamentations ceased suddenly, provingthat the women were not really moved. There is much food for the reflection of the judiciousin the contrast between the poverty-stricken people who. FOLLOWING THE ICON MOSCOW 149 A VENERABLE MONK frequent the churches and the incalculable hidden riches of the religious orders. It would beto hazard a guess as to thealue of the evangiles andicons in the old treasury ofSimonoff; while they areof solid gold and silver,these metals are com-paratively valueless, amere background onwhich shimmer constel-lations of diamonds andconflagrations of glowingrubies and Milky Ways of
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectsouthamericadescript
