SOME OF MOSCOW'S CHURCHES

                            Russian Orthodox Churches

            Several times during out Moscow visit we passed by Christ our Savior Cathedral. The largest church in Moscow was started in 1839 after the war of 1812, but took 44 years and the reign of four czars to complete. The city’s first electric lights were installed in front of the church. Stalin destroyed the church in 1931 and it became a city swimming pool. In 1944 the pool was covered and in 1995, financed with private monies, construction began on the present church. After four years the exterior was finished and two years later the interior was done. The mosaics inside are beautiful. The church has five domes with a large central and four angular turrets containing 14 bells. The church is so big that the main cathedral in the Kremlin could fit inside it.

            The white limestone Assumption Cathedral’s exterior dates to 1475. Five gilded cupolas sparkle atop narrow drums. The cathedral has stood for centuries as a Russian national shrine. Patriarchs have been anointed and czars  crowned before the altar. Ivan the Terrible’s custom-made coronation throne is housed within. Napoleon used the cathedral as a horse stable and its icons for fire wood. The bell tower, holding 23 bells, reaches 264 feet toward the sky.

            Archangel Michael Cathedral built in 1505-1508 has five domes. Sarcophagi dominate the interior and the remains of every Russian up to Peter the Great rest here.

            The churches are all Russian Orthodox and it was at the nine-domed Annunciation Church that we learned a lot about the Orthodox Church. People attending church services stand, with the exception of the royal or patron box, as there are no chairs, pews or benches. Frescos cover the walls, ceiling, columns leaving nary a square inch of free space! The frescoes in this church date to the 15^th century and were restored in the 17^th century. The frescoes tell the story of the bible for the illiterate.

            The altar is hidden behind the iconostasis which covers the entire front wall of the sanctuary. Icons are religious paintings that are usually painted on wood or sometimes canvas. An ornate door in the center of the iconostasis opens to the altar. The second icon on the right of the door is of the saint from whom the church derives its name. The rows of icons are always an uneven number with five being the most common. The bottom row is representative of the local area, the second row represents the Diesis, the third row the feast and festival, the fourth row the prophets, and the fifth row the fathers of the church. Each icon is framed with a large ornate gold molding making for a glittering wall. Russian Orthodox churches normally do not have statuary, angels etc as they are considered pagan.

HIGH TEAS

                          The Empress Hotel  High Tea and Alternative

In 1908 the   chateau- style Empress Hotel was built by the Canadian and Pacific Railroad as

the most western hotel in its chain across Canada. Overlooking the harbor, it has become a symbol of Victoria and now is a National Historical Landmark of Canada.

In 1965 there was much debate about tearing down what had become a faded, dowdy hotel to make room for a more modern high-rise hotel. But because of civic concern the hotel underwent a renovation in 1965. In 1999, Canadian Pacific spun off its Canadian Pacific Hotels to the Fairmont Hotel chain.

The Empress now has three sittings for tea each afternoon. I was disappointed to see that tea is now served in the hotel lobby, often with a line of people waiting to get in. That couldn’t hold a candle to the wonderful high-tea I had in 1989 in the hotel’s Crystal Ballroom. The tux-clad waiters were attentive as they served us tiny finger sandwiches, scones with jelly and clotted crème with our tea.

Although not enthusiastic about either the setting or $60 fee I did tell my travelling buddy I was willing, but the call was hers. We decided to enjoy tea at the Point Ellice House and that was an excellent choice.

Since the Point Ellice House was on the Gorge it was a pleasant walk from our hotel. Another couple joined us. Tea was served in the old carriage house, which was built in the same spot where the burned barn had stood. We were at our table with linen tablecloth/napkins for nearly two hours. Besides finger sandwiches we also were served sweets, scones and all the tea we wanted to drink. We ate the scones in the proper manner as described in the Point Ellice brochure.

This tearoom also served as a small gift shop with some lovely things for sale. It was nice to see the absence of all the tourist junk.

Our server told us, “During the 19^th century this was an area full of lovely Victorian homes where the gentry and well to do people lived. This Italianate cottage was built in 1861, and was enlarged and landscaped between 1875-89. The O’Reillys, with four children, moved into the house in 1867. Peter O’Reilly was Irish and lived from 1828 to 1905.

“The O’Reilly family occupied the home for 106 years. Mr. O’Reilly was a government official. The family never threw anything away. They kept extensive records even including workmen who arrived to do various chores. There are over 10,000 Victorian objects in the home. The property extends several hundred feet along the Gorge.”

Mrs. O’Reilly apparently wrote a cookbook where there were three recipes for lemon curd or lemon cheesecake. Except for hot cocoa and candy or bon bons, chocolate did not exist in Victorian cooking. There was no such thing as brownies, chocolate chip cookies, or chocolate cake.

One daughter, Kathleen, was quite an accomplished artist and several of her paintings are on view in the house. She never married, as she found life at Ellice house too comfortable and happy.  She remained in the house until her death in 1945. After that the house passed to a nephew. In 1975 the Provincial Government bought the property.

After tea we toured the house. We each were given headphones, that worked wonderfully well, and a cassette recorder. The Chinese houseboy told the story of the house. Periodically he was interrupted by the English parlor maid with some tid bit of information. Occasionally an excerpt from a diary was read. It was a very creative, imaginative way to tell the story.

It was a delightful way to spend the afternoon and to end our visit to Victoria.