DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5074#0220
202
THE EUSSIAX BISHOP.
old copies of the Gospels and prayers in Syriac, with
interlinings and headings in red.
In the street we soon after met a very brilliant pro-
cession of the Russian Bishop, Kyrillos, returning from
the ceremony of laying the first stone of a new Convent,
Church, and Hospice, on a very large scale, outside the
walls to the north of the City. The Eussians have
lately purchased much land in and about Jerusalem —
indeed the Greek Church is obtaining vast acquisitions
and influence in the place, neither secretly nor silently.
After the coarse, unintellectual, white-bearded faces of
almost all the Oriental clergy, it was delightful to meet
the figure which now presented itself, with a face sweet
and pleasing enough any where, but which was rendered
much more so by his singular and graceful costume.
Young and very fair, with blue eyes, his intelligent and
refined face beamed under a tall straight cap, round
which a black scarf or veil was smoothly folded, with the
ends hanging down behind, over a quantity of very long
and glossy golden hair, flowing straight down over his
shoulders: while the breast of a full, graceful robe of
light purple satin was adorned with four or five jewelled
stars and orders, the episcopal golden cross hanging
from a gold chain over all. He carried a golden-headed
staff, the crosier, which was finely worked, being borne
before him — and altogether, surrounded by a troop of
grave, intellectual-looking ecclesiastics, and a host of
Russian pilgrims, with his pleasant manners and ani-
mated countenance, the Bishop made a picture more
like dreams of olden times than anything one is likely
to meet now-a-days — at least in any other city than
Jerusalem. He is a man of much influence in the
Russian world, being a great favourite in the Imperial
family.
THE EUSSIAX BISHOP.
old copies of the Gospels and prayers in Syriac, with
interlinings and headings in red.
In the street we soon after met a very brilliant pro-
cession of the Russian Bishop, Kyrillos, returning from
the ceremony of laying the first stone of a new Convent,
Church, and Hospice, on a very large scale, outside the
walls to the north of the City. The Eussians have
lately purchased much land in and about Jerusalem —
indeed the Greek Church is obtaining vast acquisitions
and influence in the place, neither secretly nor silently.
After the coarse, unintellectual, white-bearded faces of
almost all the Oriental clergy, it was delightful to meet
the figure which now presented itself, with a face sweet
and pleasing enough any where, but which was rendered
much more so by his singular and graceful costume.
Young and very fair, with blue eyes, his intelligent and
refined face beamed under a tall straight cap, round
which a black scarf or veil was smoothly folded, with the
ends hanging down behind, over a quantity of very long
and glossy golden hair, flowing straight down over his
shoulders: while the breast of a full, graceful robe of
light purple satin was adorned with four or five jewelled
stars and orders, the episcopal golden cross hanging
from a gold chain over all. He carried a golden-headed
staff, the crosier, which was finely worked, being borne
before him — and altogether, surrounded by a troop of
grave, intellectual-looking ecclesiastics, and a host of
Russian pilgrims, with his pleasant manners and ani-
mated countenance, the Bishop made a picture more
like dreams of olden times than anything one is likely
to meet now-a-days — at least in any other city than
Jerusalem. He is a man of much influence in the
Russian world, being a great favourite in the Imperial
family.