in height above the altar.

We could not learn, says Murray, how many hundredweight of silver were
employed, but doubtless many thousands of dozens of French and German
spoons, and hundreds of soup tureens and tea pots must have been melted
down by the Cossacks in 1813 and 1814 as offerings to the Holy Mother
of Kazan, this Madonna being held by them in peculiar veneration.

The members of the Greek religion pray standing,--the interior of the
church is always devoid of pew, bench, or chair; but in every church
there is a place set apart for the Emperor to stand in, which is raised
above the floor, and usually covered with a canopy.

An exception has been made in favour of the Dowager Empress on account
of ill-health.

This standing during a service, continuing two hours, must prove very
fatiguing, but is a sure preventive of sleeping.

Behind and in front the ceremonies are performed by numerous priests,
fine looking men, with long flowing beards, in robes of most costly
materials; the genuflexions are numerous and very low, incense is much
used, and there are some good pictures, but no statuary and no organ or
other instrumental music; but the chanting is peculiar and very
striking.

Whilst in catholic countries the churchgoers are mostly women; in Russia
we find both sexes engaged in such duties.

On entering the church a wax candle is purchased, and sinking on one
knee, bowing his head to the pavement and crossing his breast
respectively with the thumb and the two forefingers of his right hand,
the worshipper proceeds to the shrine itself, he lights his candle at
the holy lamp, and sets it up in one of the numerous sockets in a large
silver stand; then, falling low on his bended knee, kisses the pavement
before the altar. This we witnessed on another visit, carried out to a
most extravagant extent. A young man, almost the only worshipper
present, bowed down from a standing position more than sixty times,
bumping his head with such force upon the marble floor as to be heard
distinctly a considerable distance--a case of insanity, you will
suppose, or likely soon to become so.

Flame is considered the best spiritual representation; no interment,
baptism, or any sacred ceremony is thought of without lamp or taper,
greatly exceeding what takes place in the Catholic church.

Even the Exchange is not without its Saint and lamp continually burning.

On the Sunday we went to the grand church dedicated to St. Isaa