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Colors of the Church Year
and Seasonal Dates

The Church Year begins with Advent in November/December.
This is YEAR C of readings in the Revised Common Lectionary.
Year A:  2007-2008, 2010-2011, 2013-2014
Year B:  2008-2009, 2011-2012, 2014-2015
Year C:  2009-2010, 2012-2013, 2015-2016

The Dates of the Church Year, RCL Year C, 2009-2010

Colors

Season

Dates

Alternate

Dark Blue

Advent

Nov 29-Dec 12

Purple

Blue

Pink*

3rd Wk of Advent

Dec 13-Dec 19

Rose

Dark Blue

Advent

Dec 20-Dec 23

Purple

Blue

Dark Blue

Christmas Eve

Dec 24

Purple

Blue

White

Gold

Christmas

Dec 25-Jan 5

White

Yellow

White

Gold

Epiphany

Jan 6

White

Yellow

Green

After Epiphany

Jan 7-Feb 13

Lt. Green

White

Gold

Transfiguration

Feb 14-16

White

Yellow

Purple

Ash Wednesday

Feb 17

Gray

Purple

Ash Wed/Lent

Feb 17-Mar 31

Violet

Purple

Maundy Thursday

Apr 1

Red**

Purple

Black

Good Friday

Apr 2

Black

Black

Holy Saturday

Apr 3

No Colors

White

Gold

Easter

Apr 4-10

White

Yellow

White

Gold

Eastertide

Apr 11-May 12

Red**

White

Gold

Ascension Day

May 13

White

Yellow

White

Gold

Eastertide

May 14-May 22

Red*

Red

Pentecost Sunday

May 23-May 29

Red

Gold

White

Gold

Trinity Sunday

May 30-June 5

Red**

Green

Ordinary Time

June 6-Oct 31

Lt. Green

Bronze

 

 

 

Aqua

Olive

Red**

All Saints Day or Sunday

Nov 1 or the next Sunday

White

Gold

Green

Ordinary Time

Nov 2-20

Lt. Green

Bronze

 

 

 

Aqua

Olive

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)

-Dennis Bratcher, Copyright © 2009, Dennis Bratcher - All Rights Reserved
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