Colors and Seasons

Colors of the Church

GREEN Liturgical color for season after Pentecost and after Epiphany. Symbolic of growth.

WHITE Liturgical color for festivals of Christ, including Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, The Presentation, The Annunciation, All Saints' Day and on the Holy Trinity. Symbolized gladness, purity, light and joy of Christ.

RED Liturgical color symbolic of blood and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Used on Pentecost Reformation, many saints' and martyrs' days, ordination and church dedication and anniversaries and used during Holy Week because it symbolizes the passion.

BLUE Liturgical color of Advent which symbolizes hope.

PURPLE Liturgical color for Lent which symbolizes royalty and penitence.

Seasons of the Church

LENT Forty day season (excluding Sundays) before Easter. Color purple.

ADVENT The four weeks before Christmas. Color blue.

EPIPHANY Festival celebrated January 6, marking the revelation of Christ to the world. The first Sunday of January is the Epiphany of Our Lord. Color for both is white. Last Sunday after Epiphany is Transfiguration of Our Lord. Color white.

PENTECOST Principal festival of the church year, occurring fifty days after Easter, celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit to the Disciples. Color green.

The following link to the ELCA website provides additional information on the traditional colors and seasons: http://www.elca.org/dcm/worship/faq/worship_space/liturgical_colors.html