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Colors of the Church Year
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Colors |
Season |
Dates |
Alternate |
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Dark Blue |
Advent |
Nov 29-Dec 12 |
Purple |
Blue |
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Pink* |
3rd Wk of Advent |
Dec 13-Dec 19 |
Rose |
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Dark Blue |
Advent |
Dec 20-Dec 23 |
Purple |
Blue |
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Dark Blue |
Christmas Eve |
Dec 24 |
Purple |
Blue |
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White |
Gold |
Christmas |
Dec 25-Jan 5 |
White |
Yellow |
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White |
Gold |
Epiphany |
Jan 6 |
White |
Yellow |
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Green |
After Epiphany |
Jan 7-Feb 13 |
Lt. Green |
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White |
Gold |
Transfiguration |
Feb 14-16 |
White |
Yellow |
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Purple |
Ash Wednesday |
Feb 17 |
Gray |
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Purple |
Ash Wed/Lent |
Feb 17-Mar 31 |
Violet |
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Purple |
Maundy Thursday |
Apr 1 |
Red** |
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Purple |
Black |
Good Friday |
Apr 2 |
Black |
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Black |
Holy Saturday |
Apr 3 |
No Colors |
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White |
Gold |
Easter |
Apr 4-10 |
White |
Yellow |
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White |
Gold |
Eastertide |
Apr 11-May 12 |
Red** |
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White |
Gold |
Ascension Day |
May 13 |
White |
Yellow |
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White |
Gold |
Eastertide |
May 14-May 22 |
Red* |
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Red |
Pentecost Sunday |
May 23-May 29 |
Red |
Gold |
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White |
Gold |
Trinity Sunday |
May 30-June 5 |
Red** |
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Green |
Ordinary Time |
June 6-Oct 31 |
Lt. Green |
Bronze |
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Aqua |
Olive |
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Red** |
All Saints Day or Sunday |
Nov 1 or the next Sunday |
White |
Gold |
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Green |
Ordinary Time |
Nov 2-20 |
Lt. Green |
Bronze |
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Aqua |
Olive |
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White |
Gold |
Christ the King |
Nov 21-27 |
White |
Yellow |
* In some churches, Pink is used the Fourth Sunday of Advent
** In some churches, Red is used only on Pentecost Sunday and the following week.
Metallic Silver is sometimes used for or with white, especially at Easter and Christmas. Likewise Metallic Gold can be used for gold or yellow. While some traditions (Catholic, for example) still use for purple for Advent, there is a trend to use a bluish violet for Advent and deep red violet for Lent.
In most traditions, the sanctuary cross is draped in color only during Lent (purple), Good Friday (black), and Easter (white). Some churches leave white on the cross through Eastertide, drape the cross in red for Pentecost Sunday, and then leave the cross undraped until the beginning of Lent the next year. Usually the cross is not decorated during Advent, Christmas, or Epiphany both because the focus is not yet on the cross, and since the Greens of Advent and the other symbols of the Christmas season carry the visual message.
Click below for information about the various Seasons and Holy Days that comprise The Christian Church Year. Except as noted, the dates are for 2009-2010, Year C, of the Revised Common Lectionary, Year 2, of the Daily Office (daily readings) of the Book of Common Prayer.
Advent Year C, 2009-2010; Nov 29 - Dec 24, 2009)
Advent Season (Nov 29 - Dec 24, 2009)
Christmas (Dec 25, 2009 - Jan 5, 2010)
The Twelve Days of Christmas (Dec 25, 2009 - Jan 5, 2010)
Epiphany (and Ordinary Time until Lent) (Jan 6 - Feb 16, 2010)
Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (Feb 16, 2010)
Ash Wednesday (Feb 17, 2010)
Lent (Feb 17 - April 3, 2010)
Holy Week (March 28-April 3 (4), 2010)
Maundy Thursday (April 1 2010)
Good Friday (April 2, 2010)
Easter (April 4, 2010)
Pentecost (May 23, 2010)
Ordinary Time (May 24-Nov 27, 2019)
Advent [Year A] (Nov 28 - Dec 24, 2010)
Dates of the Church Year, RCL Year A, 2011 (2010-2011)
Dates of the Church Year, RCL Year B, 2012 (2011-2012)
Dates of the Church Year, RCL Year C, 2010 (2009-2010)
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