Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1896 — CROWNED AMID POMP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CROWNED AMID POMP

CZAR NICHOLAS 11. INVESTED WITH RUSSIA’S RULE. Impressive Ceremonial, with Civic and Religions Forma—Dignitaries from Every Clime Present Their Felicitations. Ceremonies at Moscow.

HE Emperor Nicholas Alexandrovitch, autocrat of all the Russias, and her majesty, the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, were solemnly crowned Tuesday in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Moscow, with the utmost ceremony

and in accordance with all the religious forms and ancient rites. At 7 o’clock in the morning the ceremonies commenced with a saluteof twen-ty-one cannon shots, marking the opening of the day, and at the same hour the bells in the Cathedral of the Assumption began ringing. Half an hour later the court dignitaries and distinguished persons who were to take part in the imperial cortege began to assemble in the halls of the palace and in the cathedral. The ladies were in court -dress and the dignitaries were in full uniform. At the moment the imperial cortege appeared on leaving the palace the bells in all the churches of Moscow were rung and the troops, in parade order, presented arms and rendered all military honors to the imperial party. Entering the cathedral, their majesties bowed the knee three times before a holy door and ven-

•—London Graphic.

erated the saintly images. They took their seats on the thrones of the Czars Michael Feodorovitch and John 111. The archbishops, archimandrites and the officiating clergy placed themselves in two ranks between the estrade of the throne

and the holy door, and the choirs chanted the psalm “Misericordiam et Judicium Cantabo Tibi, Domine.” The Coronation. The ceremony of the coronation and anointment was then accomplished. The metropolitan of St. Petersburg mounted the steps of the throne, placed himself in front of the Emperor and invited his majesty to make, before his faithful subjects, and in a loud voice, his profession •f orthodox faith and presented him with

the open book from which the Emperor recited the symbol of the faith. After this the metropolitan of St. Petersburg pronounced: “Gratia Spiritiis; sancti sit semper tecum. Amen.” The Emperor arose, and. taking off the collar of the Order of St. Andrew, ordered

that the imperial mantle, with the collar, in diamonds, of that order, be presented to him. They were presented on cushions by the metropolitans of St. Petersburg and Kieff, who also assisted bis majesty to put on the mantle. The metropolitan of St. Petersburg then pronounced the words: “In nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti. Amen.” The monarch then called upon her majesty the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna to approach, and she knelt before him on a velvet cushion richly embroidered with gold. His majesty thereupon lifted the crown from his own head and touched with it the forehead of the Empress. He then replaced the crown upon his own head. His majesty afterward took up

the crown of the Empress and placed it on the head of her majesty. Her majesty’s imperial mantle and the collar of the Order of St. Andrew were next presented with the same ceremony. This done, her majesty took her seat on the throne, while the Emperor again took the scepter in his right hand and the globe in his left. The archdeacon next proclaimed the imperial title in extenso and intoned the verses: “Domine, salvum sac imperatorem,” and “Domine, salvam sac imperatricem,” followed by the “Ad multos annos,” which the choir repeated three times. After the chanting the bells of the cathedral and of all the other sacred edifices throughout Moscow were rung and a salute of 101 cannon shots was fired. The metropolitan and all present knelt and, in the name of the nation, offered up prayers to the Almighty. The Imperial Manifesto. The Czar’s manifesto, issued upon the occasion of his coronation, remits all arrears of taxation in European Russia and Poland, reduces the land tax by one-half for ten years and remits or reduces all fines, quashes all petty convictions involving imprisonment or fines up to 300 rubles, with the exception of persons sentenced for robbery, embezzlement, usury, extortion, fraudulent bankruptcy or otfenses against honor. The manifesto prescribes that all exiles in Siberia, after twelve years’ exile imthe remoter parts, be, after ten years, allowed to choose their place of residence except In capital cities and governments’ but their civil rights will not be Exiled criminals have a third of their sentences remitted, life sentences are commuted to twenty years and many other punishments ore lightened.

THE EMPEROR CROWNING HIS WIFE.

CROWNING OF THE CZAR.

IMPERIAL INSIGNIA.