Colors for the Christian Year

     The Christian year contains two cycles: the Christmas Cycle (Advent - Christmas - Epiphany) and the Easter Cycle (Lent - Easter - Pentecost).  Within each cycle are a preparatory season symbolized by the color purple and a festival season symbolized by the color white.  After each cycle there is an ordinary time of growth symbolized by the color green.
     Purple is a color of both penitence and royalty used during the preparatory seasons of Advent and Lent.  Blue, a color of hope, may also be used during Advent.  White and gold are joyous and festive colors used during the Christmas and Easter Seasons and on other occasions such as Baptism of the Lord, Transfiguration, Trinity, All Saints, and Christ the King Sunday.  White may also be used at funerals and weddings because it represents life and holiness as well as death and resurrection.  White is the customary color of the linens that cover the elements of the Lord's Supper.
     Green is the color of growth, used in the Seasons After the Epiphany and After Pentecost, except for special days that call for white or red.  Red is a color of fire, symbolizing the Holy Spirit.  It is used on the Day of Pentecost and at other times when the work of the Holy Spirit is emphasized.  Red is also the color of blood - the blood
of Christ and the blood of martyrs.  Because of its intensity, red is most effective when used occasionally rather than for a whole season.  It is appropriate for evangelistic services, ordinations and consecrations, and Holy Week.  ADVENT (purple or blue) A season of four weeks prior to Christmas including four Sundays.

CHRISTMAS SEASON (white or gold) Begins with Christmas Eve or Day and continues through the Day of Epiphany (The Twelve Days of Christmas).

SEASON OF THE EPIPHANY (green) A season of Ordinary Time which includes
four to nine Sundays depending on the date of Easter.
   First Sunday after the Epiphany (Baptism of Christ)
   Last Sunday after the Epiphany (Transfiguration Sunday - white)

LENT (purple - red as an alternative for Holy Week) A season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday.

EASTER SEASON (white or gold) Also known as the Great Fifty Days.
 Begins at sunset Easter Eve and continues through the Day of Pentecost.

SEASON AFTER PENTECOST (green) A season of Ordinary Time (or Kingdomtide) that begins the day after Pentecost and ends the day before the First Sunday of Advent.  It may include twenty-three to twenty-eight Sundays, depending on the date of Easter.