Hectic Honeymoon

The married life of Eastern Orthodox Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria and Roman Catholic Giovanna of Italy, which began in a violent rainstorm at Assist (TIME, Nov. 3) continued its hectic course last week.

No sooner did the happy couple board the Bulgarian royal yacht Tsar Ferdinand at Brindisi than they were swept into a hurricane which cut them off from all communication for 24 hours, made it impossible for the chef to prepare a wedding banquet, later made them seek shelter in an island harbor.

Escorted by a squadron of Turkish torpedo boats, the Tsar Ferdinand finally dropped anchor off the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Burgas. With a cross in one hand, an icon in the other, the Metropolitan Hilarion ("the Merry One") was first to welcome Their Majesties home. On the wharf a comely company of Bulgarian maidens poured water on the feet of Tsar Boris, a similar group of young men sprinkled his bride, now Tsaritza Ivana, as a hope that their lives might be as smooth as the surface of water.

As the royal train sped from Burgas to Sofia, word was flashed round the world that while passing through the village of Manola, the royal car was fired at by unidentified assassins--seven shots, which wounded one Bulgarian soldier, splintered the rifle stock of another.

Here was real scandal. Quick were the official denials. First denial, relayed from Vienna, announced that there had been no assassins; the shooting was accidental, due to the discharge of one of the railway guard's rifle. This was not enough for Minister of Communications Petko Stainoff, who categorically denied that there had been any shooting at all.

"During the whole night I assumed complete direction of the royal train.* I received all reports relating to the train's movements and there was not the least ' untoward incident."

Just the same, when the royal train arrived at Sofia, the route from the railway station to the Alexander Nevski Cathedral was guarded by a triple line of soldiery. Police ordered all windows of houses along the way closed.

"Hovering above the royal party," cabled a "correspondent, "were 14 airplanes in a formation making the initial letter of Giovanna's name in Bulgarian script."

Near the station unruly exuberant crowds burst through the triple line of guards, stormed the royal coach in an effort to touch Tsaritza Ivana's gown.

When the marriage was first proposed Bulgarian officials mollified the Vatican by agreeing to consider the Roman Catholic wedding in Assisi the real wedding, promised that the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox ceremony in Sofia would be merely a service of benediction. In Sofia last week the Patriarch Stefan talked differently.

"The ceremony," said he to assembled correspondents, "will have the complete character of a wedding according to Orthodox rites. The character of the rites will be unmistakably apparent in the exchange of nuptial crowns by the King and Queen and in the partaking of the blessed wine from a special cup. These constitute essential acts of the Orthodox marriage service."

The only "essential act" omitted from the second service was the exchange of rings. Reporters noted that while both the Chief Rabbi and Grand Mufti (Mohammedan) of Bulgaria were present, the Apostolic Visitor to Bulgaria did not attend; noted too that Groom Boris crossed himself repeatedly in the Orthodox manner (right to left), Bride Ivana in the Catholic manner (left to right).

After the ceremony Sofia erupted with Bulgar abandon. Public buildings were strung with electric bulbs. Men, women, children clambered like monkeys up the high iron grille of the palace gate, danced in the streets till dawn. Police did not allow the playing of the Fascist hymn "Giovinezza," but revelers sang themselves hoarse with "0 Sole Mio" in Bulgarian. At the palace it was announced, next day, that Their Majesties had slipped out a back door and danced unrecognized in the streets with their subjects.

*From his office in Sofia.

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