The Procession in Anglican Worship

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We are used to community parades, graduation processions, and wedding processions. Not everyone is used to a procession in worship at church.

Although many modern churches or traditions no longer practice it, it is an ancient and important Christian practice. In many Anglican churches, as worship begins, the ministers process to the front of the church, following the cross. After worship, they “recess” out. And there are other, special processions through the church year—more on those below.

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Ancient Tradition

The practice of processing behind the cross is an ancient Christian tradition. Egeria was a nun who traveled to Jerusalem in the 3rd or 4th century and kept a journal of her experiences. She was specifically interested in what the Christians there were doing in worship, and how it compared to her home practices. She describes a procession of all the people, behind the cross, and with the Gospel book. Long before that, though, the people of God marched in procession. The Jewish people processed up to the temple, chanting Psalms as they went:

These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

Psalm 42:4

Gathered and Sent Out In Procession

The idea of the procession is simple. We are gathering for worship from outside, from our daily lives and community. We are approaching God through Christ; therefore, the cross goes before us. As we leave, we are being sent back out into the world, with the cross leading the way.

It used to be that everyone, laity and clergy, gathered outside the worship space, then followed the cross in and out. Because of the need for seating, time, and other factors, not everyone processes today, but the symbolism remains. We are under the cross of Christ, and we follow the cross of Christ into the presence of God and into the world.

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Galatians 6:14

Victory March

There are other aspects to procession. One is the idea of a victory march. Paul wrote about this in his second letter to the Corinthians:

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

2 Corinthians 2:14

We march into the church in victory, victory over sin and death through Christ, and we march out in victory, taking the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ with us. If we use incense in our worship, we literally take the sweet-smelling fragrance with us!

Processions on Special Occasions

There are processions for special occasions. On Palm Sunday, we hold a Procession of the Palms, often going around the church. On Rogation Sunday and the Rogation Days, it is traditional to have a procession through the fields. Local celebrations of patron saints often involve processions. Weddings feature the bridal procession. Funerals feature a solemn burial procession—all are under the cross.

Pageantry with a Purpose

Processions are not simply pageantry for the sake of pageantry. There is nothing wrong with pageantry, unless it is empty and done for its own sake. Processions are pageantry for a reason: Christ. The saints of Christ will process, as Saint John witnessed, behind our King:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Revelation 7:9-12

Image: St. Patrick’s Procession in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Published on

July 7, 2016
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The Anglican Pastor

A classic resource from the founding team of Anglican Compass.

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I am a Lay Reader at St. Alban’s Cathedral, Diocese of Saskatchewan, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. For the year, I have been studying Orthodoxy mainly through the resources available through the Ancient Faith Radio App. I can’t help noting that you frequently (as in this blog) refer us back to the Ancient Church reaching further back than Anglican Tradition.

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Thanks for reading Art! Yes we see the Anglican tradition as going all the way back, rather than just beginning at the Reformation period. It was reformed but did not cease to be Catholic. So all the riches of the ancient church are a part of our tradition and available to us. Of course not all Anglicans have that approach and so I hope that this website demonstrates how we can go back to the ancient ways. Thanks again.

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Sir,
Good to get to this platform, I am impressed for the things I have read so far on Processions in the Anglican Church. I’d like to ask a question upon an issue that is a contention around me and some other Anglicans. At times during some services, there is recession in reversed order ( this is where the last person in procession takes the lead and according to seniority for the priests and others), and I’d like to know the position of the choristers. Is it going to take the normal form of the cross bearer leading the way and the choristers: Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, Basses follow or the the other way round: Basses leading, then Tenors, Altos, Sopranos and the cross bearer last or better still Soprano leading, then Altos, Tenors, Basses and yet the cross bearer coming last.
From what I read here, I see that whatever procession should be led by a processional cross, meaning that we follow Christ in to worship and out from worship. Clarifications pls. I am Rev. Izuchukwu Ewulu (Nigeria).

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Thank you very much for this interesting piece. One little request I have is that it would be helpful if you provide referring for further readings. Many thanks once again. I would personally be grateful if you could email me few references on the subject matter.

Best,
Joseph

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I am a member of the Anglican church of St. Matthew in Townsville, Australia and have a question about processions in the Anglican church. could you please explain if and how the church wardens participate in processions during worship if there should be two or only one. this is of course is when there is not a Verger. I presume your website is based in America and there may be some difference.

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Years ago in my old Episcopal church, I understood that the cross as spoken of here was referred to as The Host. Also, when passing the altar, one would reference The Host by a bow, but only after the procession had placed the host near the alter. Any other time that was not proper since The Host had retired or had not been processed to the alter. Where am I wrong because this doesn’t seem to be the case with my present church? The Host is now actually placed off to the side, behind where the officiants sit. Also, I would like a recommendation for a book, detailing all of these traditions and practices.

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Hi, Mo. The Host is not the cross. The Host is the bread.

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Of course, I should have known that. What is the significance of the cross on the pole. We did reference it as it passed. Is that what we reference when it is at the altar or nearby or is it the Host on the altar. Thanks for the answer. Sure could use a handy reference book on lots more of the Anglican way.

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We reverence the cross because it is the instrument of our salvation. The pole is also a reference to John 3:14-15, where Jesus reminds Nicodemus of when Moses lifted a snake on a pole in the wilderness to save the people from snake bites and that he himself must be lifted up (which would happen on the cross). When it passes in the procession, we bow. Likewise, we bow when we approach or pass the altar because it is where the Eucharist is consecrated and, therefore, is the Table where Christ “meets” us in the context of the service.

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When there are no elements on the altar are we still obliged to bow? I’m in the choir that practices near the altar, and I pass by the altar on my way to the choir seats much prior to the actual service.

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We’re never obliged to bow at all (it’s one of those “all may, none must” things), but it’s traditional to bow when passing the altar, even when there are no consecrated elements on it. However, outside the context of a service, this tends to be much more relaxed. So, no, you don’t need to unless you feel compelled to.

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Gretful for such literature about our tradition. My question about procession is the Genesis of the reverse order of and recession…where did the issue of ranks among ministers start from and what is the rationale behind it

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