The Armstrong Clan Society Kirkin of the Tartans, April, 2006 The National Cathedral, Washington, DC |
The National Cathedral, Washington, DC
Sanctuary and The Last Judgment (North) Rose Window
Kirkin of the Tartans, April, 2006
On April 22, about 20 Armstrongs attended the Kirkin of the Tartans in the National Cathedral, Washington, DC hosted by The Saint Andrews Society of Washington, DC.. Janet and I drove from Huntsville, AL. John, Jennifer, and Hannah drove in from Philadelphia, PA. Joe, Tanya, and Caitlin Wiggington were our local hosts. About a dozen local Armstrongs joined us for the ceremonies. I apologize for not getting all their names but I know Mrs. Dewitt Armstrong, widow of General Dewitt Armstrong attended. It was a typical Scottish day, cool, overcast and a light rain.
Joe's stunning account of the 2005 Kirkin below captures the emotion of the moment. What I would like to share with you is the Prayer of Approach and Confession. This may be a traditional prayer but was new to me and I found very touching especially in a very special place.
"Holy God, with brave hearts and honest words, we approach your Holy Presence seeking to be made new by your love and forgiveness. We as a people with rich and robust heritage, but with an awareness that much in our history as well as our own lives, belies that heritage. We dress with pride in the kilts of our clans, and in doing so wrap ourselves in the wrongdoings committed, the injustices suffered, and the wars waged by those very clans. Hear our humble confession. Blot out the sins that beset us and create in us new harts and minds by your loving words and gracious forgiveness. Make us once again a people strong in faith, committed to relieving the distressed, and bringing honor to the kilt we wear and justice to the world in which we live."
Some of the Armstrongs Attending
After the Ceremonies Celebration
Kirkin of the Tartans, April, 2005
Joe Wiggington representing the Armstrong Clan Society
Joe's stirring account of this very special event
On a chilly Sunday afternoon in April, with threatening skies overhead, a few thousand proud Scots gathered on a hilltop in northwest Washington, DC for the annual Kirkin' 0' the Tartans organized by the St. Andrews Society of Washington, DC and the St. Andrews Society of Baltimore, MD. As over 250 kilted men waited outside to process in, we looked up worried that we'd be wet before we got inside. To the strains of "Over the sea to Skye" performed by the Pipes and Drums of the St. Andrew's Society of Washington, DC, we kilted Scotsmen processed into the Washington National Cathedral before a packed, standing congregation.
The Washington National Cathedral, site of many official national services, memorials and remembrances (most recently President Reagan's funeral) is the world's sixth largest cathedral. While Armstrong's are proud of the fact that Neil carried our tartan on his lunar mission, many people aren't aware that one of the moon rocks his crew brought back can now be seen as a centerpiece in one of the cathedral's many stained glass windows. Anyone who has had the opportunity to visit or worship there will agree with me when I say it is an experience not to be missed. Throw in some pipes and drums and it becomes an adrenalin filled, emotionally moving event that you will not soon forget.
After
the call to worship, prayers, hymns, and a pleasant message from The
Reverend Ernest R. D. Smart, Chaplain Emeritus, St. Andrews Society of
Baltimore, it was time for the men to process to the high altar for
the presentation and blessing of the tartans and the “Flowers on the
Forest”. As we went forward the pipes and drums filled the air with
"Highland Cathedral" as the congregation again stood.
Anyone not over-filled with emotion at that time was either an
Englishman or a corpse.
Many
of us are quite familiar and well read about our reiver heritage; so
if ever a tartan could use a good blessing in such a holy and revered
sanctuary, it would be the Armstrongs'. In the past few years I've
read many books about our Armstrong and Scottish heritage, and it has
convinced me that the self determination and resilience showed by our
ancestors who immigrated to America is a direct result of that
heritage.
As the
service came to a close, we recessed out to the sounds of
"Scotland the Brave" and marched around to the
cathedral side overlooking the Bishops Garden, beneath what would
become almost sunny skies. There, on the hilltop overlooking and
within our nation's capital we were entertained with a concert by the
band with highland dancers joining in. I invite anyone who has not
seen our National Cathedral to come next April and join me in
celebrating our heritage and participating in what may be one of the
largest, but certainly one of the most inspiring Kirkin's in America.
Return to the ACS homepage Revised 4 Aug 2006