Do you ever wonder what the changing colors of the Catholic church signify?  From the priest vestments to the color of the altar, these colors have meanings.  These colors indicate seasons in the church or the specific feast our church is celebrating.

The Liturgical colors are:

1. White/Gold
2. Violet/Purple
3. Red
4. Green
5. Rose

White/Gold

The color of victory and joy.  

It is the color used to celebrate the Christmas and the Easter seasons.  Aside from these seasons, priests wear the white vestment to celebrate the following feasts:

• Feast  of Our Lord
• The Feast of Our Blessed Virgin Mary
• All Saints Day
• Conversion of St. Paul
• Chair of Peter
• The Nativity of Saint John the Evangelist
• Feast of Angels
• Feast of all saints who were not martyred 

Violet/Purple

• Advent Season – the preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Lenten Season – the season of repentance.

Red

The color of fire and blood.

• Palm Sunday and Good Friday – used as the color of Jesus’ passion and death.
• Birth Feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists
• Feast of Martyrs
• Pentecost
• Sacrament of Confirmation

Green

• Ordinary Time – the weeks and the months in between the special seasons

Rose

This optional color can be used in the following celebrations:

• Gaudete Sunday – third Sunday of Advent
• Laetare Sunday – fourth Sunday of Lent