Lift High the Cross
Processional hymn on following Christ and lifting high his cross, from Winchester Cathedral, 1887.
The words are public domain. We print a hymn only after checking it word for word against a dated old printing, and this one hasn’t been checked yet. Hymnary has it now.
“Lift High the Cross” at HymnaryAbout this hymn
"Lift High the Cross" (first line "Come, Christians, follow where our captain trod") calls the church to follow Jesus and to carry the sign of his cross into the world.
It rests on John 12:32, where Jesus says that when he is lifted up he will draw all people to himself, and on Galatians 6:14. It is sung on Holy Cross Day (September 14), in Lent, and as a processional hymn.
George W. Kitchin wrote it in 1887 for a service at Winchester Cathedral, and Michael R. Newbolt revised it in 1916.
For musicians and planners
| Words | George W. Kitchin, rev. Michael R. Newbolt, 1916 | Public domain |
|---|---|---|
| Tune | CRUCIFER · Sydney H. Nicholson, 1916 | Public domain |
Checked 2026-09-27 against hymnary.org text, tune and person pages (attribution and rights only). The words are not transcribed here yet.
Hymn numbers checked against Hymnary.org’s index of Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Full record: Hymnary.