On January 19 Russians in Shangnal celebrated Kreschenie—the day on which Christ was deptized in the iver Jordan. In Holy Russia. this holiday was preceded tu Importance only "by Christmas and. Easter, and really" had three distinct aspects, The Church commemorated the very act of baptism; the people the towns and villages were carried away with the colourful rites land {raditions; while to the popular mind the state of the weather and other conditions during the holiday. were portentous of the coming harvest. In the afternoon.of the day before Kreschenic a Uthurgy fs held all Orthodox Churches, ending with the solemn service of "holify= Ing" water; while In the evening jeclol vespers are attended by the whole deray and Hon, Next morning at 9 o'clock another Uturgy is held, after which process sions carrying 'Ikons, other holy ages, gilded banners' and gonfalons—alt glittering in the sun come out of the churches and move slowly. towards the river. At the head walk the Bishops wilh their golden bejewelled mitres. and sparkling cha-sublet; then come the senior priests indifferent headgear according "Ca rank, the notables of the city, the church choirs and, thronging behind, the populace. The whole forms a picture of unforeltable splendor the winter sun high up in the cold-blue sky, the snow glistening from the roofs and tree and blanketini: the-distant hills, the rich colours of the procession splotched against the background of while, and. the ma-jostle church-music floating overhead have served as inspiration for innumerable pictures by Russia's great est artists. When the different processions converged on the shores of the river new pageants awaited them Tee Cross Several days beforehand " square hole bad been cut in the ico, and a large cross—also made of ice—erected deside il, The priests and the people now gather around this spot, religious service is held, the water the ice-hole is blessed and n traditional "custom is then observed: several_men of motte, treating, biting frost with supreme contempt, quickly divest themselves of their clothing and plunge into the ice-cold water, This form of baptism is be-Hieved to wash away one's ing. It was religiously adhered to in Harbin, the men who observed it never falling to win the profound respect and admiration of the foreigners gather= ed specially on the Sankx of the Sungari.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.