Color Symbolism in Roman Catholicism
As someone who uses a lot of color symbolism in their art and in the knitting work I felt that I should have this list somewhere on hand so I’m sharing it here. This is a combination of multiple resources + My personal notes/uses of the colors from family traditions are italicized and are not necessarily part of catholic practice. I’ve bullet pointed feast days and saints associated with each color also.
Feel free to use/add your own notes as needed!! I’ll likely be adding to this as I go, including food associated with each color too!
White: Purity, virginity, innocence and virtue. It also symbolises holiness and is the Christian color for all high Holy Days of the Church Year, especially the seasons of Christmas and Easter. It can also represent death, the color of bleached bones, and funeral flowers, especially when paired with black.
used: Christmas and Easter seasons; Holy Thursday; the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity; the feasts of Our Lord (excluding those relating to His passion). White is used at nuptial Masses and baptisms, and may be used at funerals. White also is allowed for days special to a given parish or region, such as a parish feast day or anniversary, or Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Gold or silver also may be used for solemn occasions.
Saints who are not martyrs
St. John the Baptist (June 24),
St. John the Evangelist (Dec. 27),
the Chair of St. Peter (Feb. 22)
the Conversion of St. Paul (Jan. 25).
Yellow: renewal, hope, light and purity. Yellow is the Christian color for the season of Easter when used with white. One of the main colors of marigolds used in dia de los muertos.
All Souls/Dia de los Muertos
Orange: courage, endurance and strength representing fire and flame. One of the main colors of marigolds used I’d dia de los muertos.
All Souls/Dia de los Muertos
Green: nature, fertility, hope and bountifulness. Triumph over death. Green symbolizes freedom from bondage. Green is the Christian color for the season of Epiphany.
used: Ordinary time, a season focused on the Lord's three-year public ministry, His teachings and miracles; a reminder that the mission of the church is to share the hope and life of Christ with the world.
Red: the Holy Spirit and is the color of Pentecost. Red also represents fire and Crimson red also symbolizes the presence of God and the blood of martyrs. It is the Christian liturgical color for Pentecost and represents atonement and humility
used: Representing blood, the church assigns this color to Palm Sunday, Good Friday, the celebration of the Lord's passion. As a symbol of the Holy Spirit and the burning fire of God's love, red also is used on Pentecost Sunday, the sacrament of confirmation and the votive Masses of the Holy Spirit.
Feast days of apostles and evangelists,
Celebration of martyred saints
Pink/Rose: Joy, Symbolizes: anticipation, rejoicing
used: Gaudete Sunday (the third Sunday of Advent) and Laetare Sunday (fourth Sunday of Lent). Both "gaudete" and "laetare" are variations of "to rejoice" in Latin. The Sundays occur at the midpoint of Advent and Lent and are a reminder of the upcoming joyful events. They also offer a "change of tonality" within the respective seasons.
Saint Therese of the little flower
Black/Gray: death, humility, ashes, renewal. The color black is associated with Good Friday.
used: Although not used frequently in the United States, it may be used at funeral Masses, the feast of All Souls or the anniversary of the death of a loved one.
All Souls/Dia de los Muertos
Brown: colors symbolize the earth, poverty and humility and closely associated with monastic life. Color of wood and alters, crucifixes, tables, symobolizes a steady foundation upon which other things lay.
Blue: heavenly grace. The Virgin Mary is often depicted wearing blue clothing. Blue also represents hope, good health and the state of servitude.
Uses: Dioceses in Spain and Mexico, and other nations of Spanish heritage, have been given permission to use the color blue for Marian feasts, including the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Blue also is granted to some Marian shrines.
Purple: penitence and mourning.
used: Advent, Lent; may be used for funeral Masses.
