COXii’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.

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leading to the fhrine ; and between thefe fteps and the fhrine is ufually a platform, uponwhich the officiating minifter hands and performs part of the fervice.

The fhrine or fandtuary is divided from the body of the church by the Inconojlas, orfkreen, generally the part the rooft richly ornamented, and on which the mod; holy pic-tures are painted or hung *. In its centre are the folding, called the holy, royal, orbeautiful doors, which lead to the fhrine, within which is the holy table, a Dr. Kingwell defcribes it, “ with four fmall columns to fupport a canopy over it: from which aperijlerion , or dove, is fufpended, as a fymbol of the Holy Ghoft; upon the holy tablethe crofs is always laid, and the Gofpel, and the pyxis, or box, in which a part of theconfecrated elements is preferved, for vifiting the lick or other purpofes f.”

It is contrary to the tenets of the Greek religion to admit a carved image within thechurches, in conformity to the prohibition of Scripture, “Thou fhalt not make to thy-felf a graven image,” &c. By not conndering the prohibition as extending to repre-sentations by painting, the Greek canonifts, while they follow the letter, depart fromthe fpirit of the commandment, which pofitively forbids us to worfhip the likenefs ofany 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, eroding themfelves, andoccalionally touching the ground with their heads; a ceremony which I often faw themrepeat nine or ten times in fucceffion.

Before I clofe the general defeription of the Ruffian churches, I muff not forget theirbells, which form, I may almoft fay, no inconfiderable part of divine worlhip ; as thelength or Ihortnefs of their peals ascertains the greater or Idler fan&ity of the day-They are hun'g 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, andpulled Tideways. Some of thefe bells are of a ftupendous fize : one in the belfrey ofSt. Ivan’s church weighs three thoufand five hundred and fifty-one Ruffian poods, onone hundred and twenty-feven thoufand eight hundred and thirty-fix Englilh pounds-It has always been elteemed a meritorious acf 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 ellimation, Boris Godunof, who gave a bell of two hundred and eighty-eightthoufand pounds to the cathedral of Mofcow, was the molt pious fovereign of Ruffia,until he was furpaffed by the Emprefs Anne, at whofe expence a bell was call, weigh-ing four hundred and thirty two thoufand pounds, which exceeds in bignefs every bellin the known world. The fize is fo enormous, that I could fcarcely have credited theaccount of its magnitude had I not myfelf afeertained the dimenfions. The height isnineteen feet, circumference at the bottom fixty-three feet eleven inches, greateft thick-nefs twenty-three inches t. The beam to which this vaft machine was falfened, beingaccidentally burnt, the bell fell down, and a fragment was broken off towards thebottom, which left an aperture large enough to admit- two perfons abreaft withoutHooping.

Our inn being clofe to the walls of Kremlin, .I had frequent opportunities of examiningthe principal buildings.

* “ On the north fide of the royal doors the piAure of the Virgin is always placed, and that of Jefus onthe fouth; next to which is that of the fa : nt to whom the church is dedicated ; the fituation of the reft isindifferent. Candles or lamps are ufually-fufpended before the images of Jefus and the Virgin, and feveralothers, and fometimes kept perpetually burning.” Dr. King on the Greek church, p. 29. ; to which bookI would refer the reader.

+ King on the Greek church, p. 26.

f Mr, Hanway, in his Travels, has given an accurate defeription and engraving of this bell.

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