They have a lively way of celebrating Christmas in modern
Russia. This year the day was one of extremes, both religious and anti-religious. The chief anti-religious organization, called the League of Communist Youth, suddenly called off its demonstrations planned for Christmas Eve, and allowed midnight mass to be cele- brated in all the churches without interruption. This, it seems, was because the League had suddenly come up against an immovable popular prejudice in favour of Christmas Eve. In the day, however, parades, demon- strations, " rags," spectacles, plays, satires, and debates of an anti-religious character were organized with all that thoroughness and amplitude which is the mark of Bolshevik propaganda. " We have destroyed the Tsar's earth ; now it is time to destroy the Tsar's heaven," was the slogan of the day. (We quote from the message of the correspondent of the Chicago Tribune which appeared in the Daily Telegraph.) But religion has apparently still a strong hold on a part of the population, and there were attempts at counter demonstrations ; for example, a group of devout women were sworn to defend the most sacred of Russian. shrines, that of the Iberian Virgin.
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