Chuck Stump of Charleston bears the cross and leads the Beni Kedem Highland Band and parishioners and Kanawha United Presbyterian Church parishioners down Kanawha Boulevard during the Kirkin' o' the Tartan parade.
The music of bagpipes and drums rang out on Virginia Street and Kanawha Boulevard shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday, as parishioners at Kanawha United Presbyterian Church marched in the fourth Kirkin' o' the Tartan parade.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The music of bagpipes and drums rang out on Virginia Street and Kanawha Boulevard shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday, as parishioners at Kanawha United Presbyterian Church marched in the fourth Kirkin' o' the Tartan parade.
Members of the Beni Kedem Highland Band performed traditional Scottish music, and church members followed close behind on the brief walk that finished with a Scottish-inspired dinner at the church.
"It is a great way to celebrate the heritage," said Crystal Jones of Charleston.
The Kirkin' o' the Tartan was inspired by both Scots and Americans.
After the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the victorious English passed an "Act of Proscription" to control the Scots.
The Scots could not carry or possess arms, and, the English outlawed kilts, which represented their Scottish heritage.
This prompted the Scots to secretly carry or wear a piece of their kilt, or tartan, with them as they went to Kirk, or church.
One Sunday each year, Scottish ministers slipped a blessing on all tartans into church services.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The music of bagpipes and drums rang out on Virginia Street and Kanawha Boulevard shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday, as parishioners at Kanawha United Presbyterian Church marched in the fourth Kirkin' o' the Tartan parade.
Members of the Beni Kedem Highland Band performed traditional Scottish music, and church members followed close behind on the brief walk that finished with a Scottish-inspired dinner at the church.
"It is a great way to celebrate the heritage," said Crystal Jones of Charleston.
The Kirkin' o' the Tartan was inspired by both Scots and Americans.
After the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the victorious English passed an "Act of Proscription" to control the Scots.
The Scots could not carry or possess arms, and, the English outlawed kilts, which represented their Scottish heritage.
This prompted the Scots to secretly carry or wear a piece of their kilt, or tartan, with them as they went to Kirk, or church.
One Sunday each year, Scottish ministers slipped a blessing on all tartans into church services.
"It's a way of our church remembering the hardships of those who came before us and to stay strong in our faith," said Mary Helen Tully, spokeswoman for the church's Kirkin' o' the Tartan.
The meaning of Kirkin' now translates into blessing, she said.
During World War II, Dr. Peter Marshall, a Scottish immigrant and chaplain of the U.S. Senate, brought the phrase Kirkin' o' the Tartan to America. In 1944 he introduced an order of worship to Americans Presbyterians honoring their Scottish heritage, and called it the Kirkin' o' the Tartan.
Jones snapped pictures Sunday as her children, Austin, 10, and Chayton<co>, 8, watched the parade.
"It's good seeing everybody come out to this today," she said.
Her husband, Jon, played a drum with the Highland Band.
Jon Jones said he wasn't too hot wearing his kilt, even with temperatures in the high 80s late Sunday afternoon.
Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.
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