Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/296

242 nounced that the Patriarch had made his appearance on the top of the mountains. A general turn-out now took place; men, women, and children to the number of a thousand, congregated round the church, whilst the more hardy and zealous went forward to be the first to greet their chief. I joined myself to this party, and in exchange for my salutation of kissing the Patriarch's hand received his blessing and a hearty welcome. The group was now one of indescribable interest, and the scene around grand in the extreme. Mountains upon mountains hemmed in the secluded valley on every side, the village poured forth its tenants from the scattered dwellings, who flocked from every quarter, some leading a son or daughter through the deep snow, whilst mothers were seen bearing in their arms their infant offspring whom they presented to the Patriarch that he might lay his hands upon them and bless them. Arrived at the church Mar Shimoon and his followers went up directly to the door and kissed the cross engraven on the wall above it. He then sat down on the step leading into the church, the assembled crowd standing at a respectful distance: he seemed to know every one present, and as each came forward in a stooping posture, and with uncovered head, to kiss his hand, he greeted him with some familiar inquiry about his own weal and that of his family.

I cannot better describe the person of Mar Shimoon than by quoting the language of Dr. Grant: "The patriarch is thirty-eighty earseight years [sic] of age, [he was four years older when I first saw him,] above the middle stature, well-proportioned, with an expressive and rather intelligent countenance; while his large flowing robes, his Coordish turban, and his long grey beard, give him a patriarchal and venerable aspect, which is heightened by an uniformly dignified demeanour: were it not for the youthful fire in his eye, and his vigour and activity, I should have thought him nearer fifty than thirty-eight. But his friends assured me that the hoariness of his beard and locks was that of care and not of age. His situation is certainly a difficult and responsible one, since he is, in an important sense, the temporal as well as the spiritual head of his people. To preserve harmony and settle differences between the various tribes of his spirited mountaineers, and with the Coords by whom they are surrounded, is a labour that would