72 
CEREMONIES OE THE GREEK CHURCH. 
[Nature and Ait, Mar oh 1, 1867. 
A satisfactory reply to this being given, the priest 
puts his hand upon the child, and blows three times, 
.saying, “ Get out of the child, thou unclean spirit, 
and make way for the Holy Ghost.” After this he 
cuts off four small locks of hair from four points, 
forming a cross on the head ; these locks he wraps 
tip in wax, and throws into the font ; the priest 
takes the child, naked, and plunges it into the water 
three times, uttering the words of the Sacrament, 
“ I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Complete im- 
mersion is the practice of the Greek Church, so a 
pretty large font is necessary. 
The ceremony of baptism contains two sacra- 
ments : the second is called the “Baptismal Unction.” 
This is done with the sacred oil, which is prepared in 
the sacristy of the Kremlin, and which is believed to 
contain a portion — however minute — of the “costly 
pound of ointment.” The child receives the Holy 
Ghost through the virtue of this baptismal unction. 
As this ceremony is always performed at baptism, 
it renders confirmation unnecessary in the Greek 
Church. The priest anoints the mouth, eyes, ears, 
hands, and feet, as well as the back and breast. The 
mouth is anointed, so that it may only speak 
that which should be spoken by a child of God ; 
the eyes, that they may only see good ; the ears, 
that nothing may pass through them to the mind 
but what is pure ; the hands, that they may do no 
wrong ; and the feet, that they may walk in the 
way of life. He then puts a grain of salt in the 
child’s mouth, and in token of the hopes of purity, 
he dresses it with a clean shirt, and repeats the 
Avords, “ Thou art as clean, and as clear from 
original sin, as thy shii’t.” A small cross of lead, 
silvei', or gold — according to the means of the 
parents — is put round the infant’s neck : this is 
carefully preserved, becaiise the rites of Christian 
burial are denied to any avIio die Avithout them. 
Sponsors are considered so nearly related, that they 
are not permitted to marry. 
Marriage is also a very elaborate ceremony, and 
its celebration occupies a considerable length of time. 
Some details of the late marriage of the Czarewitch 
Avill convey a good idea of forms gone through, for 
they are exactly the same as those of the poorest 
individuals. 
The Metropolitan and principal clergy of St. 
Petersburg came to the door of the chapel, there 
to receive the marriage procession. One priest held 
a candlestick with three tapers, Avliich was so ar- 
ranged that they produced only one flame ; this was 
in token of the Three in One ; another held a basin 
of holy water, and a bay-leaf to sprinkle it Avitli ; 
and the Metropolitan held in his hand a golden 
cross about ten or tAvelve inches in length. The 
bride and bridegroom Avere sprinkled Avith the holy 
water; they Avere then blessed by the Metropolitan, 
and each kissed the cross in his hand. 
As a woman cannot enter within the enclosed 
place of the altar, a temporary altar is put up on 
the outside of the screen, for the ceremony of 
marriage to be performed. This is nothing but a 
small reading-desk, covered with cloth embroidered 
with gold crosses, and a copy of the four Gospels is 
placed upon it. The bride and bridegroom took up 
a position in front of this, with lighted tapers in their 
hands, and the officiating priest asked, “Alexander 
Alexandrowitch, hast thou a good and unrestrained 
Avill, and firm intention to take unto thee to Avife 
this woman, Marie Feodorowna, Avhom thou seest 
here before thee 1 ” The CzareAvitcli replied, “ I 
have, most reverend sir.” The priest again asked, 
“ Hast thou not promised any other woman V’ And 
the answer was, “ I have not promised another.” 
The same questions were put to the bride, after 
which came the benediction ; then the deacon said 
the Ectinia, into which were introduced the following 
words for the occasion : “For the servants in God, 
the Czarewitch, Grand Duke Hereditary orthodox, 
Alexander Alexandrowitch, and the Grand Duchess 
orthodox, Marie FeodoroAvna, now joined together 
in holy Avedlock, and for their salvation.” A number 
of prayers Avere then repeated, and tAvo crowns Avere 
brought on a tray ; the priest took one, and, making 
the sign of the cross with it over the head of the 
bridegroom, said, “The servant of God, Alexander 
Alexandrowitch, is crowned for the handmaid of 
God, Marie FeodoroAvna, in the name of the Father, 
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” The 
Czarewitch kissed the crown, and one of the Gargons 
des Noces held it over the head of the bridegroom 
during the remainder of the ceremony. A similar 
service was performed with the other crown and 
the bride, and it Avas also held over her head till 
the end. A benediction was then given — “ O Lord 
our God ! crown them in like manner Avith glory 
and honour.” The croAvns in this rite have nothing 
to do Avith the rank of the couple ; crowns are used 
at every marriage ceremony. There Avas a slight 
difference in the tAvo crowns, which may be worth 
noticing ; that held over the bridegroom had on 
it the figure of Christ, Avhile that over the bride 
had a figure of the Virgin. The “ Prokimenon ” 
noAV follows, — “ Thou hast put crowns of precious 
stones upon their heads ; they asked life of Thee, 
and Thou gavest them a long life ; for Thou shalt 
give them the blessing of eternal life ; Thou shalt 
make them glad with the joy of thy countenance.” 
Then comes the “ Epistle of the Office,” Eph. v. 
20-33. The priest then reads the Gospel ; that 
chosen was the second chapter of St. John’s gospel, 
which relates the marriage in Cana, ending Avith 
the 11th verse. An anthem, “Glory be. to Thee, 
0 Lord, Glory be to Thee,” is sung before and 
after the Gospel. The “ Common Cup,” containing 
wine, is now given by the priest to the bride and 
bridegroom, who each drink out of it three times 
in remembrance of the marriage in Cana.* Up to 
this point of the ceremony the contract may be 
broken off, but uoav comes the most important part 
of the rite, which makes the marriage indissoluble, 
for the Greek Church never permits of divorce. 
The priest covers his right hand Avith his robe, and 
on it the bride and bridegroom place their right 
* In the Jewish form of marriage a cup of Avine is drunk 
by the bride and bridegroom. 
