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594 COX£’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
leading to the fhrine ; and between thefe fteps and the fhrine is ufually a platform, upon
which the officiating minifter ftands and performs part of the fervice.
The fhrine or fanétuary is divided from the body of the church by the Jncono/las, or
fkreen, generally the part the moft richly ornamented, and on which the moft holy pic-
tures are painted or hung *. In its centre are the folding, called the holy, royal, or
beautiful doors, which lead to the fhrine, within which is the holy table, a Dr. King
‘well defcribes it, “* with four fmall columns to fupport a canopy over it: from which a
perifterion, or dove, is fufpended, as a fymbol of the Holy Ghoft ; upon the holy table
the crofs is always laid, and the Gofpel, and the pyxis, or box, in which a part of the
confecrated elements is preferved, for vifiting the fick or other purpofes +.”
It is contrary to the tenets of the Greek religion to admit a carved image within the
churches, in conformity to the prohibition of Scripture, ‘Thou fhalt not make to thy-
felf a graven image,” &c. By not confidering the prohibition as extending to repre-
fentations by painting, the Greek canonifts, while they follow the letter, depart from
the fpirit of the commandment, which pofitively forbids us to worfhip the likenefs of
any thing under whatever form, or in whatever manner it may be delineated.
Over the door of each church is the portrait of the patron faint, to which the com-
mon people pay homage as they pafs, by taking off their hats, crofling themfelves, and
occafionally touching the ground with their heads; a ceremony which I often faw them
repeat nine or ten times in fucceflion.
Before I clofe the general defcription of the Ruffian churches, I muft not forget their
bells, which form, I may almoft fay, no inconfiderable part of divine worfhip ; as the
length or fhortnefs of their peals afcertains the greater or lefler fandtity of the day.
They are hung in belfreys detached from the church, and do not fwing like our bells,
but are fixed immoveably to the beams, are rung by a rope tied to the clapper, and
pulled fideways. Some of thefe bells are of a ftupendous fize: one in the belfrey of
St. Ivan’s church weighs three thoufand five hundred and fifty-one Ruffian poods, or
one hundred and twenty-feven thoufand eight hundred and thirty-fix Englifh pounds.
It has always been efteemed a meritorious act of religion to prefent a church with bells,
and the piety of the donor has been meafured by their magnitude. According to this
mode of eftimation, Boris Godunof, who gave a bell of two hundred and eighty-eight
thoufand pounds to the cathedral of Mofcow, was the moft pious fovereign of Ruffia,
until he was furpaffed by the Emprefs Anne, at whofe expence a bell was caft, weigh-
ing four hundred and thirty-two thoufand pounds, which exceeds in bignefs every bell
in the known world. ‘The fize is fo enormous, that I could fcarcely have credited the
account of its magnitude had I not myfelf afcertained the dimenfions. - The height is
nineteen feet, circumference at the bottom fixty-three feet eleven inches, greateft thick-
nefs twenty-three inches}. The beam to which this vaft machine was faftened, being
accidentally burnt, the bell fell down, and a fragment was broken off towards the
bottom, which left an aperture large enough to admit two perfons abreaft without
{tooping.
Garin being clofe to the walls of Kremlin, I had frequent opportunities of examining
the principal buildings.
* « On the north fide of the roval doors the pifture of the Virgin is always placed, and that of Jefus on
the fouth; next to which is that of the faint to whom the church is dedicated ; the fituation of the reft is
indifferent. Candles or lamps are ufually fufpended before the images of Jefus and the Virgin, and feveral
others, and fometimes kept perpetually burning.”? Dr. King on the Greek church, p. 2g.; to which book
I would refer the reader.
+ King on the Greek church, p. 26.
t+ Mr. Hanway, in his Travels, has given an accurate defcription and engraving of this bell,
The
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