Sketches of the Rites and Customs of the Greco-Russian Church

Sketches Of The Rites And Customs Of The Greco-Russian Church by H. C. Romanoff is a collection of English sketches illustrating the Greco-Russian Church as practiced in Russia. It pairs domestic scenes with liturgical text, many translated from Slavonic offices, and provides commentary on the rites that shape parish life. With an introduction by C. M. Yonge and a prefatory note by Romanoff, the book surveys Baptism (including Baptismal Unction), Confession and Communion, Ordination, Marriage, Extreme Unction, and Burial and Requiem rites, as well as church-building, bells, and adoption rituals. The narratives illuminate how faith and custom mingle in Russian villages and towns, revealing the relations between clergy and laity, education, and social structure in the 19th century. Although designed for English readers, the sketches offer a vivid portrait of Orthodoxy’s outward forms and their cultural significance during a time of change. The volume includes scenes such as Adoption and the Princess Dagmar’s Admission to the Greco-Russian Church.