The Significance of the

Liturgical Colors
The Significance of the Liturgical
Colors

▪ The Liturgical Colors: An Introduction

▪ The Liturgical Colors and their significance
The Liturgical Colors
An Introduction
 Understanding the Liturgical Colors

▪ Liturgical Colors are those ▪ In the liturgical calendar,

specific colors used in the colors shown each day
vestments with in the corresponds to the day’s
context of the Christian main liturgical
liturgy. Different colors celebration, even though
serves to underline moods
appropriate to a season of
OPTIONAL MEMORIALS
the liturgical year or may (perhaps with a different
highlight a special occasion. color) might be chosen
instead.
 Colors and Symbols

Humility
Purple / Violet
▪ Usage during the Liturgical
Year:
– Season of Advent
– Season of Lent
– All Souls Day
– Masses for the Dead with the
exemption of Funeral Masses
 Colors and Symbols

Humility
Purple / Violet
▪ Obligatory usage during
sacramental service:
– Sacrament of Reconciliation
– Sacrament of Anointing of
the Sick
 Colors and Symbols
Passion, Blood,
Fire, God’s Love
and Martyrdom Red
▪ Obligatory usage during the
Liturgical Year:
– Solemnity of Lord’s Passion
– Palm Sunday
– Pentecost
– Mass of the Holy Spirit
– Passion of St. John the Baptist
– Feast of Martyrs, Apostles, and
Evangelists
 Colors and Symbols
Passion, Blood,
Fire, God’s Love
and Martyrdom Red
▪ Obligatory usage during the
Liturgical Year:
– Feast of Martyrs, Apostles, and
Evangelists
– Exultation of the Holy Cross
– Papal Funeral
 Colors and Symbols
Passion, Blood,
Fire, God’s Love
and Martyrdom Red
▪ Obligatory usage during
Sacramental Service:
– Sacrament of Confirmation
 Colors and Symbols Gold is a substituted
White: Light, to other colors where
innocence, the celebration of the
triumph, glory White/Gold mass is in festive
moods.
▪ Obligatory usage during the
Liturgical Year:
– Season of Christmas
– Season of Easter
– Solemnity of the Lord’s Supper
– Feast of Our Lord other than his
Passion
 Colors and Symbols Gold is a substituted
White: Light, to other colors where
innocence, the celebration of the
triumph, glory White/Gold mass is in festive
moods.
▪ Obligatory usage during the
Liturgical Year:
– Marian Feasts (Blue can be used i.e
Flores De Mayo)
– Feasts of the Angels
– Feasts of non-martyred Saints or
confessors.
– Feast of St. John, Apostle and
Evangelist
 Colors and Symbols Gold is a substituted
White: Light, to other colors where
innocence, the celebration of the
triumph, glory White/Gold mass is in festive
moods.
▪ Obligatory usage during the
Liturgical Year:
– Feast of the Chair of St. Peter
– Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul
the Apostle
– The Nativity of St. John the Baptist
– Solemnity of St. Joseph
– Other feasts of St. Joseph
 Colors and Symbols Gold is a substituted
White: Light, to other colors where
innocence, the celebration of the
triumph, glory White/Gold mass is in festive
moods.
▪ Obligatory usage during the
Liturgical Year:
– Feast of All Saints (All Saints Day)
– Funeral Masses and offices for the
Dead
– Votive Masses and other Masses
where Green is usually used.
– Misa De Gallo (Dec. 16 – Dec. 24)
 Colors and Symbols Gold is a substituted
White: Light, to other colors where
innocence, the celebration of the
triumph, glory White/Gold mass is in festive
moods.
▪ Obligatory usage during
Sacramental service:
– Sacrament of Baptism
– Sacrament of Holy Orders
– Sacrament of Matrimony
Colors and Symbols

Rose
▪ Obligatory usage during
the Liturgical Year:
– Third Sunday of Advent
(Gaudete Sunday)
– Fourth Sunday of Lent
(Laetare Sunday)
Colors and Symbols

Green
▪ Obligatory usage during
the Liturgical Year:
– Sundays and Ferials in
Ordinary Time
Hierarchy of Liturgical Celebrations

▪ 1. Solemnity = Sundays : Gloria and 2nd reading

▪ 2. Feast
▪ 3. Memorial – obligatory/optional
▪ 4. Ferial – ordinary days
Hierarchy of Liturgical Celebrations

▪ Rules:
▪ If a Titular or Patron Saint either Martyr or non-martyr and their hierarchy of
liturgical celebration is determined either as Obligatory memorial, Optional
Memorial or Feast. If there feast dates are determined on a Sunday on a
particular local church community. Automatic the local church community is
obliged to elevate the celebration to Solemnity with their respective
readings and prayers set in the Roman Missal.
▪ If the feast da is not celebrated on a Sunday. The same rule apply, the
celebration is elevated to a Solemnity with their respective readings and
prayers set in the Roman Missal.
▪ Regardless of the Liturgical Season where the feast of the patron saint is
celebrated.
Hierarchy of Liturgical Celebrations

▪ Rules:
▪ If the feast of the Solemnity of the Lord is celebrated together with
the feast of the titular saint. The Feast of the Solemnity of the Lord
should be celebrated. As long as the homily is fitted to the
celebration of the Liturgical Day and the feast of the titular or patron
saint