Or people wearing white armbands at a funeral. Actually, in some parts of the world: you might. What colors mean is at least partly a matter of culture.1
Here in the West, the Catholic Church's color for (most) funerals was black. Now, it's black or white. I mentioned that yesterday.
Catholic Vestment Colors Mean Something
There's a reason for the priest celebrating Mass in a different color on different days - and it's not because he got bored with green. All those colors mean something: white; red; green, violet, black, and (around here) rose.I didn't mention blue. That's because this blog is about a Catholic's experiences and outlook in America. Blue is an important color for vestments in some places: but not in this part of the world.2 Not yet, anyway.
The symbolism of vestment colors in America is also what I could check on personally, without making a long-distance call. I'll get back to that.
The Catholic Church has a rich heritage of symbols - which I think could be discussed more often. But that's another topic. Here in the West, about a century back, these were what vestment colors meant:
- White
- Light
- Innocence
- Purity
- Joy
- Glory
- Light
- Red
- Fire and blood
- Burning charity
- Martyrs' generous sacrifice
- Fire and blood
- Green
- Plants and trees
- Hope of life eternal
- Plants and trees
- Violet
- Gloomy cast of the mortified
- Affliction and melancholy
- Black
- Mourning
- Sorrow of death
- Sombreness of the tomb
- Mourning
- White
- Purity of soul
- Holiness
- Red
- The shedding of blood
- Burning love
- Green
- Hope
- Violet
- Penance
- Mourning
- Rose
- Joy in the midst of penance
- Gold
- Used on solemn occasions in place of white, red, or green vestments
American English has shifted a little during the last century, but that seems to be the most significant change in discussion of vestment colors mean.
Related post:
- "Colorful Catholics: Vestment Colors For Every Season"
(July 22, 2010)
1 Posts about color, in another blog:
- "Color, Psychology, Emotions and Mood"
Apathetic Lemming of the North (January 30, 2010) - "Are Moods Really Blue? Color, Psychology, and Culture"
Apathetic Lemming of the North (May 21, 2008)
1 comment:
Aubrey,
Okay. That's - interesting.
Black meaning "death and unholiness" doesn't seem a good fit with The Song of Songs 5:11, although maybe it's close to some implications of Zechariah 6:2.
I take the Bible seriously. Over the years, though, I've learned to be careful about 'Biblical' assertions:
"The Pope's 'Fundamental Priority,' and the 'Dark Side' of Bible Study"
(November 19, 2010)
"Studying the Bible: Carefully"
(November 16, 2010)
Not that curious claims are limited to folks starting from something near the Bible:
"What the Judeo-Christian Civilization, a Luxury Resort Named Atlantis, and an Albanian Grand Vizier have in Common - Sort of"
(July 12, 2011)
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