Farewell To Yeltsin

A portrait of former Russian president Boris Yeltsin is set in front of his coffin inside Christ the Savior Cathedral, during a farewell ceremony, in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Hundreds of people lined up outside the cathedral to view Yeltsin's body. Yeltsin, the first president of post-Soviet Russia, died of heart failure on Monday at the age of 76.

A man holds a picture of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin as he stands in line to pay last respects at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Russians flocked to the cathedral to bid a final farewell to Yeltsin on a national day of mourning for the man who brought down the Soviet Union and forced Russia through painful democratic reform.

People line up to pay last respects to former President Boris Yeltsin at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Russians flocked to bid a final farewell Yeltsin on a national day of mourning for the man who brought down the Soviet Union and forced Russia through painful democratic reform.

A woman cries by the coffin of former Russian president Boris Yeltsin inside Christ the Savior Cathedral, during a farewell ceremony, in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Hundreds of people lined up outside the Moscow cathedral to view the body Yeltsin's body. Yeltsin, the first president of post-Soviet Russia, died of heart failure on Monday at the age of 76.

Naina Yeltsin, widow of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, gives him a farewell kiss as his body lies in a casket during a ceremony inside Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Russians flocked to bid a final farewell to Yeltsin on a national day of mourning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stands in front of the coffin of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin during a farewell ceremony in Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Russia, along with former world leaders who eagerly supported the former president through the traumatic era of post-Soviet reform, bade a grandiose farewell to Yeltsin.

President Vladimir Putin offers condolences to the widow of former Russian president Boris Yeltsin, Naina, inside Christ the Savior Cathedral, during a farewell ceremony, in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Russia bid a solemn farewell Yeltsin, its first post-Soviet leader, in a funeral presided over by some two dozen white-robed priests, and a crowd of dignitaries.

Dignitaries offer condolences to family members of former Russian president Boris Yeltsin inside Christ the Savior Cathedral, during a farewell ceremony in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Shown clockwise from bottom left are: former British Prime Minister Sir John Major, former U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Yeltsin's widow Naina and daughter Tatyana.

The last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, offers condolences to family members of the first post-Soviet Russian leader Boris Yeltsin, widow Naina, top right, with daughters Tatyana, center right, and Yelena, bottom right, inside Christ the Savior Cathedral, during a farewell ceremony, in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007.

Naina Yeltsin, center, widow of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, daughter Tatyana, left, and an unidentified relative attend a farewell ceremony inside Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007.

Naina Yeltsin, right, widow of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, and her daughter Tatyana, leave a farewell ceremony inside Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007.

Russian military personnel carry out the flag-draped coffin of Boris Yeltsin, the first post-Soviet Russian leader, from Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Russia bid a solemn farewell to Yeltsin, its first post-Soviet leader.

The funeral cortege bearing former Russian president Boris Yeltsin's coffin sets off for the historic Novodevichy cemetery for burial on Wednesday, April 25, 2007, in Moscow. Russia bade a grandiose farewell to Yeltsin, as did former world leaders who eagerly supported the former president through the traumatic era of post-Soviet reform.

Former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton, back left, and George H.W. Bush, back right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila stand during the funeral ceremony for former Russian President Boris Yeltsin in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Russia bade a grand farewell to Yeltsin, along with former world leaders who eagerly supported the former president through the traumatic era of post-Soviet reform.

The coffin of Russia's former President Boris Yeltsin is lowered into a grave during a funeral ceremony at Novodevichye cemetery in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Russia bid a solemn farewell to Yeltsin, its first post-Soviet leader, in a funeral presided over by some two dozen white-robed priests, with a crowd of dignitaries in attendance.

Naina Yeltsin, widow of Russia's former President Boris Yeltsin, throws a handful of a soil on his grave during a funeral ceremony at Novodevichye cemetery in Moscow, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Russia bid a solemn farewell to Yeltsin, its first post-Soviet leader, in a funeral presided over by two dozen white-robed priests, with a crowd of dignitaries in attendance.

The body of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin lies in state in the Christ the Savior Cathedral Tuesday, April 24, 2007, in Moscow. Hundreds of Russians filed past Yeltsin's open coffin to pay their respects to the man who dismantled the Soviet Union and led Russia in its first chaotic years of independence.