Kirkin O' The Tartan: Christ Church, Elizabeth City

Sunday, November 20, 2022, 10:30 AM

Christ Church will be recognizing the Feast of St. Andrew during their 10:30am service on November 20th with the Kirkin O’ The Tartan, and you are invited to join in.

Some History:

St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and the Kirkin O’ The Tartan (or Churching of the Tartan) is a Scottish-American custom which celebrates Scottish heritage and the contributions of Scotland to the United States. The roots of this custom date back to the 1746 Act of Proscription which forbade the wearing of kilts in the Scottish Highlands. According to legend, the Highlanders would hide pieces of their tartan and bring them to the church to be secretly blessed.

The custom as we know it today, was started in 1941 by the Rev. Peter Marshall, (a Presbyterian minister and member of the Society of St. Andrew,) as a fundraiser for British war relief during the Second World War. Since 1952, the National Cathedral (Episcopal) in Washington D.C. has annually hosted the nation’s largest Kirkin O’ The Tartan service, in which tartans form the different Scottish clans are processed into the cathedral and blessed. The custom has since spread throughout the United States and is typically observed in Presbyterian and Episcopal Churches.

The Episcopal Church’s connection to Scotland is one of great importance. In the aftermath of the American Revolution, the Church of England denied consecration to American candidates for bishop. Having no bishops to oversee the newly formed Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Church of Scotland stepped in, and on November 14, 1784, consecrated the Rev. Samuel Seabury as the first American bishop in the Anglican tradition. The Episcopal Church of Scotland also heavily influenced the formation of the 1789 Book of Common Prayer (the first American Prayer Book.) Because of these influences, the St. Andrew’s Cross (which adorns the Scottish Flag) is incorporated in the upper left-hand corner of the Episcopal flag and shield.

Event Information:

In keeping with this custom, and to commemorate the Episcopal Church’s indebtedness to the Scottish Episcopal Church, we will be inviting parishioners, and community members of Scottish descent, to join in the procession and blessing of the tartans on November 20th. (Yes, there will be bagpipes!) Each family will have the opportunity to order a banner with their clan’s tartan for the procession, and we invite representatives from the families to carry the banner. Kilts, skirts, sashes, and other traditional Scottish attire are encouraged! If you do not have Scottish ancestry, you are welcome to bring something that represents your own heritage, and we will offer a blessing over that as well!

To further commemorate the Feast of St. Andrew, the liturgy on November 20th will be led and officiated by members of our own Brotherhood of St. Andrew chapter. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is the oldest and largest men’s ministry in the Episcopal Church. The mission of the brotherhood is to bring youth and men to Christ through the threefold disciplines of prayer, study, and service. During the service the new leadership of the Brotherhood will also be formally installed.

Reception to Follow:

Following the service, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew will host a reception that will be open to the entire church community.