When the high-priest's private and the diakon's public prayer is ended, the former advances solemnly, while the choir sing a psalm, and blesses the chalice containing the wine. " Vladik," which may be best translated, Rabbi, master, " bless this vessel." The diakon then demands the same blessing for the bread which is shaken into the wine in the chalice, with the words, " Blagosslovei obei' (bless both). The moment of this blessing is that of the transubstantiation. In the same instant the priests prostrate themselves at the foot of the altar, the congregation make endless signs of the cross, and kiss the ground repeatedly, and all the bells of the church burst forth at once, that the occurrence may likewise be solenmized beyond the church walls by prayers. But aU this clamour destroys most cruelly all enjoyment of the fine psalm sung at the same time by the choir.
The royal door of the Ikonostas opens once more, and the concluding act, the partition of the sacramental bread, takes place. The words, " Draw near in the faith and fear of God," are addressed by the highpriest to those who mean to communicate, and holding the chalice in his hand he prays, " Grant, O God, that we have made a true confession. Forgive us those sins we have unconsciously committed ; Grant that we receive the sacrament, not to our condemnation, but to om preservation, that we may kiss thee not as Judas, but as the thief, and say : I hope to be with thee in Paradise." The communicants then approach one after the other, kneel three times, and hold their hands crossed upon their breasts. A morsel of the bread steeped in the wine is then put into the mouth with a small silver spoon. They kiss the chalice, in which generally a number of saints' pictures are set, kneel once more, and depart.
The main object is now achieved ; but as this was approached by degrees the finale must also be harmoniously reached by as many cadences.
This finale consists of another long prayer for the state, the purity of the air, increase of flocks and herds, and so on, partly spoken and partly sung, and another reading from the Bible. The concluding blessing is given by the high-priest, generally an old man with a feeble voice, in the names Of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ; Of John the Baptist ; Of Joseph and Anna. Of the Bogorodiza (Mother of God ;) Of the Saints of the Day ; Of St. Anthony, St. Michael and Nicholas, and all other miracle-working dwellers in caves (hermits).
The cross-making congregation may now retire, but it is at least another half hour before the priest and his assistants are released, particularly when the metropolitan, or a bishop, officiates. There seems no end of the dressing and undressing, the mutual service and kissing, the blessing and greeting, kneeling and crossing. When the bishop has at last assumed his ordinary dress and advanced to the door, where his coach-and-four have long awaited him, a carpet is spread there, and choristers and burning tapers stand ready for the ' door-prayer " to be said. Compared to this truly oriental fancy in the invention of ceremonies, our Roman oriental imaginations are mere children. The most disagreeable part of the Russian service is the astonishing inactivity of the congregation. The only thing done by them during this whole three hours' ceremony, is repeated crossing and touching the floor with the forehead. The latter ceremony makes a peculiar impression on a foreigner, particularly when he sees it joined ill by the highest dames. They have no books in their hands either to follow the reading or the singing ; they are merely spectators, and the whole service a pompous spectacle. There is nothing to enhghten the mind, or awaken perception ; nothing to better the heart or rouse up the slumbering conscience. Of course my meaning here refers to the manner in which the priests have arranged the matter, for I am far from denying all true religious feeling to the Russians. Many come to the church with the best intentions, and are there actuated by a higher spirit. Most singular it is, that the people never grow weary of this spectacle ; that an inattentive person is never seen, much less a sleeping one, a sight common enough in our Protestant churches ; and this is precisely the most consolatory fact, as it proves that the people connect some nobler ideas with that which the priests have rendered a mere show. Let the attempt only be made to give the Russian public, year after year, the same spectacle of any other kind, and the players would very soon have to play to themselves !