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a Catholic Church		 A Tour of
Corpus Christi Church
Clifton Nottingham

The colours used at Mass

The original colour of the vestments in the early centuries was white but the people of the Middle Ages loved colour and decoration and so added to the plain vestments richer materials, colour, embroidery and jewels.

There are seven different colours which could be used for the different seasons and feasts and they are :-

White, Red, Green, Purple, Black , Rose, Gold

The four usual colours seen are white, red, green and purple

Each colour has its own individual significance

White, the sum of all colours signifies joy, purity of soul and innocence.
It is used:
During the Christmas and Easter season.
Celebration of Christ the King.
Feasts of our Lord (except The Passion).
Feasts of our Lady, angels and saints who are not martyrs.
Conversion of St. Paul (25 January).
The Chair of St. Peter (22 February).
John the Baptist (24 June).
All Saints (1 November).
John the Evangelist (27 December).
Sometimes at Funeral Masses.

Red, the colour of fire and blood, symbolising love,is worn on:
Palm Sunday.
Good Friday and Feast of the Passion of Our Lord.
Pentecost and Masses of the Holy Spirit.
Feasts of Martyrs such as St. Stephen.

Green, the colour of hope is used on the Sundays after the Epiphany and Pentecost and on the Sundays and weekdays of Ordinary time.

Purple is symbolic of penance and humility and is used in:

Advent.
Lent.
Sometimes in Requiem Masses.

Black is indicative of sadness and mourning.

It can be used on
Good Friday
All Souls' Day
Sometimes In Masses for the Dead.
Sometimes at Funeral Masses

Rose, symbolising rejoicing, may be worn on

Gaudete Sunday
(3rd Sunday of Advent).
Laetare Sunday
(4th Sunday of Lent).
On very special occasions gold vestments may be worn instead of white


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