liturgical colours
Quick Summary
Liturgical colours are the colours of the vestments worn by clergy during Christian worship, which vary according to the season or feast day. While early Christians did not have a strict system, the Roman Catholic Church developed a sequence of colours.
- White symbolizes purity and is used for feasts of Christ, saints, and virgins.
- Red represents the Holy Spirit and martyrdom, used for Pentecost and feasts of Apostles and martyrs.
- Green signifies hope and is used during Ordinary Time.
- Violet symbolizes penitence and is used during Advent and Lent, with pink worn on specific Sundays within these seasons as a sign of hope.
- Black is used for mourning and commemorations of the departed, though violet is often allowed.
Gold may be substituted for white, red, and green. Other colours like blue and rose have also been used historically.12
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