procession

[pruh-sesh-uh n] /prəˈsɛʃ ən/
noun
1.
the act of moving along or proceeding in orderly succession or in a formal and ceremonious manner, as a line of people, animals, vehicles, etc.
2.
the line or body of persons or things moving along in such a manner.
3.
Ecclesiastical. an office, litany, etc., said or sung in a religious procession.
4.
Theology. the emanation of the Holy Spirit from the Father and later, in the Western Church, from the Son: distinguished from the “generation” of the Son and the “unbegottenness” of the Father.
5.
the act of coming forth from a source.
verb (used without object)
6.
to go in procession.
Origin
before 1150; early Middle English (< Old French) < Late Latin prōcessiōn- (stem of prōcessiō) a religious procession, literally, a marching on. See process, -ion
Examples from the web for procession
  • The process he envisages is a technical procession similar to that which happened to desktop publishing and printing.
  • Some of them here and there had fine faces, still it was a procession of misery.
  • The driver couldn't pass, so joined the procession until he could turn off.
  • Leaning the bike causes procession of the wheels, turning the bike slightly and pulling it upright again.
  • As impossible as that a man should walk in procession at his own funeral.
  • Behind them the still- moving procession trails luminous streaks across the Pyrenees landscape.
  • And they will make their grand entrance on litters, during an elaborate procession led by elephants.
  • Dressed in their finest array, they go in procession through the village.
  • Sunday's procession was one of about 20 throughout the year in the area.
  • This fervent religious procession was such a physical, sensuous experience that I felt held a lot of meaning.
British Dictionary definitions for procession

procession

/prəˈsɛʃən/
noun
1.
the act of proceeding in a regular formation
2.
a group of people or things moving forwards in an orderly, regular, or ceremonial manner
3.
a hymn, litany, etc, sung in a procession
4.
(Christianity) the emanation of the Holy Spirit
verb
5.
(intransitive) (rare) to go in procession
Word Origin
C12: via Old French from Latin prōcessiō a marching forwards
Word Origin and History for procession
n.

late Old English, "act of marching or proceeding," from Old French procession "procession" (religious or secular), 11c., and directly from Late Latin processionem (nominative processio) "religious procession," in classical Latin "a marching onward, a going forward, advance," noun of action from past participle stem of procedere (see proceed).

Encyclopedia Article for procession

in Christianity, organized body of people advancing in formal or ceremonial manner as an element of Christian ritual or as a less official expression of popular piety. Public processions seem to have come into vogue soon after the recognition of Christianity as the religion of the Roman Empire by Constantine in the 4th century.

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