October 20, 2009
Symbolism of Colors
Hangings on altar, lectern, and pulpit are to a church what curtains and drapes are to a home. Whenever they appear in churches, the changing colors attract, add variety, and point to the significance of the season or the festival. The same colors of the church year are used also for bookmarks and stoles.
White is the symbol of the Creator, light, joy, purity, innocence, glory and perfection.
Violet denotes mourning and penitence, and is also symbolic of humility, suffering, sympathy, and fasting. Purple equally appropriate, is frequently used instead of violet. Purple is the regal color, referring to the triumphal entry of the King of kings, who was of royal (Davidic) descent, and who is the Ruler of many hearts. Purple is also the color of penitence, refering to the purple garments put on our Lord when they mocked him (John 19:2; Mark 15:17).
Red depicts divine zeal on the day of Pentecost, and refers to the blood of the martyrs of the Church.
Green is the universal color of nature, signifying hope.
Black is the color of grief and sorrow.
To these five colors of the church year we may add gold, since it is used on fringes of the hangings. Gold refers to worth, virtue, the glory of God, and Christian might.
The above is excerpted from Our Christian Symbols by Friedrich Rest.
Filed by Cheryl at 2:52 pm under History of Symbols, Symbols
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