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. Isaac, commenced in 1817 and only opened a fortnight before our arrival.
This church, with almost the grandeur of St. Peter's at Rome, though not so favourably situated, excels in beauty both the interior and exterior of the Madeleine in Paris.