Liturgical colours are specific colours used for vestments and hangings within the context of Christian liturgy. The symbolism of violet, blue, white, green, red, gold, black, rose, and other colours may serve to underline moods appropriate to a season of the liturgical year or may highlight a special occasion.
There is a distinction between the colour of the vestments worn by the clergy and their choir dress, which with a few exceptions does not change with the seasons of the liturgical year.
Catholic Church Historical information The rules on liturgical colours before the time of Pope Pius X were essentially those indicated in the edition of the Roman Missal that Pope Pius V had promulgated in 1570, except for the addition of feasts not included in his Missal. The scheme of colours in his Missal reflected usage that had become fixed in Rome by the twelfth century.
Pius X raised the rank of the Sundays after Epiphany and Pentecost, so that on those that fell within common octaves, green was used instead of the colour of the octave, as had previously been the rule; on Sundays after Pentecost that fell within privileged octaves (i.e., the octaves of Corpus Christi and of the Sacred Heart), the liturgical colour of the feast was retained.
In its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the Second Vatican Council referred only once to liturgical colours, stating that for funeral services, "the circumstances and traditions found in various regions" should be honoured.Second Vatican Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium, paragraph 81, published on 4 December 1963, accessed on 18 July 2025
Roman Rite In the Roman Rite, the following colours are used, in accordance with the rubrics of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), Section 346.; cf. ; ; Bishop Conferences have approved local variations of the GIRM, and thus region deviations from the table below exist. For example, white is permitted to be used for funerals, Requiem Masses, and Offices for the Dead in the dioceses of America. The table shows what colours are used in the Bishops Conference of England and Wales:
ColourObligatory usageOptional usage (in lieu of prescribed obligatory colour)Sundays and Ferias in Ordinary TimeSundays and Ferias of Advent Sundays and Ferias in Lent Liturgies on Holy Saturday (except for the Easter Vigil) Sacrament of Penance All Souls' DayFunerals, Requiem Masses, and Offices for the DeadThe General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 346RoseGaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday in Lent)WhiteChristmastide (from [Vigil] of Christmas to the Baptism of the Lord) Holy Thursday Easter season (from the Easter Vigil up to the Vigil of Pentecost) Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Feasts of Our Lord other than those of His Passion Marian feast daysThe optional use of blue as a liturgical colour for feasts of our Lady is restricted to a few dioceses, as explained below. Feasts of the Angels Feasts of non-martyred saints or confessors Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter Feast of the Conversion of Paul the Apostle The Nativity of St. John the Baptist Solemnity of Saint Joseph Other feasts of Saint Joseph Feast of All Saints Sacrament of Baptism Sacrament of Matrimony Sacrament of Holy OrdersVotive Masses and other Masses where Green is normally used.Palm Sunday Good Friday Pentecost Feasts of the Passion of the Lord Feasts of Martyrs, Apostles, and Evangelists Passion of Saint John the Baptist Sacrament of Confirmation Funerals of PopesAll Souls' Day Funerals, Requiem Masses, and Offices for the Dead
On solemnities, more precious vestments may be used, even if not exactly of the colour of the day. Such vestments may, for instance, be made from cloth of gold, silver, yellow, or golden brown. Moreover, the Conference of Bishops may determine and propose to the Holy See adaptations suited to the needs and culture of peoples.
There is no obligatory colour to be used for funerals, Requiem Masses, and Offices for the Dead, with either violet or, where it is the practice, black used.
Ritual Masses are celebrated in their proper colour or in white or in another festive colour. Masses for Various Needs, on the other hand, are celebrated in the colour proper to the day or the season or in violet if they bear a penitential character. Votive Masses are celebrated in the colour suited to the Mass itself or even in the colour proper to the day or the season.The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 347
Regional and situational exceptions Some particular variations:
Blue, a colour associated with the Virgin Mary. While blue vestments are common in some Eastern churches, in the Latin rite, blue as a vestment colour may only be used pursuant to a special privilege granted. The permission, sometimes called "Cerulean Privilege", or "Cerulean Indult" is of two kinds: one pertains to particular Marian shrines and specifies when blue vestments may be worn. The other type of permission is that accorded to various countries. In Spain, an apostolic indult was granted for the feast of the Immaculate Conception and its octave as well as for votive Masses and Saturdays, when the Office for the Immaculate Conception is prayed and on Marian feasts where there is a related custom. The privilege has been granted to Spain, to certain of its colonies, and former colonies in Latin America by a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites on 12 February 1864. It also extends to the Philippines, Guam, and the Mariana Islands, which were still under Spanish rule at that time. The use of blue is also observed in Portugal during certain Marian feasts, although no special indult has been granted. There have also been uses of blue in place of violet for the season of Advent despite the fact that this practice is not authorized under liturgical rubrics. Gold or silver may be worn on more solemn occasions in the dioceses of the United States.
Permitted use of the 1960 Code of Rubrics Observance of the rules on liturgical colours contained in the 1960 Code of Rubrics is still permitted in the circumstances indicated in the 2007 document Summorum Pontificum on use of the 1962 Roman Missal, which incorporates them. These rules differ from the current rubrics in the following respects:
Colour1920–1955 usage1956–1960 usage1961–1969 usageEmber days Rogation days Vigil of St. Andrew Vigil of St. Thomas Vigil of Christmas Holy Innocents (when this falls on a weekday) Purification (Blessing of Candles and Procession) Vigil of St. Matthias (in leap years only) Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima Palm Sunday (Blessing of Palms, Procession, Mass) Holy Saturday (pre-Mass blessings and rites) Vigil of Pentecost (pre-Mass blessings and rites) Vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist Vigil of St. James Vigil of the Assumption Vigil of Sts. Simon and Jude Vigil of All Saints All Souls (during the Forty Hours' Devotion only) Sacrament of Baptism (Introductory rites and Exorcism)Ember days Rogation days Vigil of Christmas Holy Innocents (when this falls on a weekday) Purification (Blessing of Candles and Procession) Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima Palm Sunday (Mass only) Good Friday (Distribution of Holy Communion only) Easter Vigil (pre-Mass blessings and rites) Vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist Vigil of the Assumption All Souls (during the Forty Hours' Devotion only) Sacrament of Baptism (Introductory rites and Exorcism)Ember days Rogation days Vigil of Christmas Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima Palm Sunday (Mass only) Good Friday (Distribution of Holy Communion only) Easter Vigil (pre-Mass blessings and rites) Vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist Vigil of Sts. Peter and Paul Vigil of St. Lawrence Vigil of the Assumption All Souls (during the Forty Hours' Devotion only) Sacrament of Baptism (Introductory rites and Exorcism)RoseGaudete Sunday Laetare SundayGaudete Sunday Laetare SundayGaudete Sunday Laetare SundayWhiteOctave of the Immaculate Conception Octave of St. John Vigil of the Epiphany Octave of the Epiphany Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph Vigil of the Ascension Octave of the Ascension Octave of Corpus Christi Octave of the Sacred Heart Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist Octave of the Assumption Octave of All Saints Sacrament of ConfirmationVigil of the Ascension Sacrament of ConfirmationVigil of the Ascension Sacrament of ConfirmationOctave of St. Stephen Octave of the Holy Innocents Octave of Pentecost Octave of Sts. Peter and PaulPalm Sunday (Blessing of Palms and Procession) Octave of PentecostPalm Sunday (Blessing of Palms and Procession) Octave of PentecostGood Friday All Souls (except during the Forty Hours' Devotion) Requiem MassesGood Friday (main liturgy) All Souls (except during the Forty Hours' Devotion) Requiem MassesGood Friday (main liturgy) All Souls (except during the Forty Hours' Devotion) Requiem Masses
Byzantine Rite The Byzantine Rite, which is used by all the member churches of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Byzantine Lutheran Churches and the Eastern Catholic Churches of Byzantine Rite, does not have a universal system of colours, with the service-books of the Byzantine tradition only specifying "light" or "dark" vestments. In the Greek tradition, maroon or burgundy are common for solemn feast days, and a wide variety of colours are used at other times, the most common of which are gold and white.
Slavic-use churches and others influenced by Western traditions have adopted a cycle of liturgical colours. The particulars may change from place to place, but generally:
ColourCommon usageOther usageGoldWhen no other colour is specifiedLight blueFeasts of the Theotokos Feasts of the Holy ArchangelsChurches dedicated to the Theotokos may use light blue for the default, instead of gold. In some places, blue is also used for Holy Theophany. In many places, blue is used for the Dormition Fast (except from the Transfiguration to its afterfeast (August 6–13), when either gold or white is used).Purple or wine-redSaturdays and Sundays during Great Lent (Slavic Churches)In many places, purple or dark red are only worn on the weekdays of the Great Fast, while bright colours (gold, gold/white) are used on Saturdays and Sundays.RedHoly Thursday Feast of the Cross Beheading of St. John the Baptist Feasts of Martyrs Nativity Fast Apostles' FastPascha (Mount Athos and Jerusalem) Nativity (Mount Athos and Jerusalem) Feasts of the Holy Theotokos (Mount Athos) In some places, red is used for the Dormition Fast (except from the Transfiguration to its afterfeast (August 6–13), when either gold or white is used).GreenPalm Sunday Pentecost Feasts of Venerable (Monastic) SaintsFeast of the Cross in some places (such as Jerusalem)BlackWeekdays during Great Lent Weekdays during Holy Week (except Holy Thursday)Black is far more prevalent in the Slavic traditions than the Greek tradition, especially in the United States.WhitePascha Nativity Theophany Other Great Feasts of the LordFunerals (Throughout the year, even during Holy Week.)
The colours would be changed before Vespers on the eve of the day being commemorated. During Great Feasts, the colour is changed before the vespers service that begins the first day of a forefeast, and remains until the apodosis (final day of the afterfeast).
Under Western influence, black is often used in the Slavic churches for funerals, weekdays of Great Lent, and Holy Week as a sign of penance and mourning, but in the second half of the 20th century, the ancient white became more common, as a sign of the hope of the Resurrection.
Russian liturgical colours In the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, up to nine different liturgical colours may be used throughout the year.The cited information was taken from translation published in three issues of:
which cites the original That 1983 edition is based on the handbook's 1913 third edition: