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Liturgical Season
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We are currently in the season of
Ordinary Time
The liturgical color for this season is green.
Green symbolized hope and new life and is used for the season of Ordinary Time, when we focus on the life Christ shared with mankind during His time on earth, the life we still share with Him in community of church and through His sacraments and the everlasting life with Him that we look forward to for all eternity.
About the
The Liturgical Year
The Liturgical Year and Calendar is the annual cylcle of seasons and feasts beginning with the First Sunday of Advent and concluding the Saturday after the feastday of Christ the King. In the course of the liturgical year, the entire mystery of Christ is explored and made present through the Church`s liturgical celebrations.The Liturgical, or Church Year consists of the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time, with the centerpiece being the celebration of the Easter Triduum.
There are three sets of readings assigned for Sundays and other special days throughout the Church Year. These readings are assigned to Liturgical Years A, B, and C. Year A follows Year C, Year B follows Year A, and Year C follows Year B. Keep in mind that the liturgical year begins on the first Sunday of Advent of the previous year.
The Colors of Liturgical Vestments
During the Church year, different vestment colors are worn for various celebrations. There is a twofold pupose for this: one is to highlight the particular liturgical season and the other is to highlight a particular event or mystery of faith. In all, the colors of the vestments awaken us to the sense of sacred time, a visible way to make present the sacred mysteries we celebrate throughout the Church year.
White or gold, which symbolizes rejoicing and purity of soul, is worn during the seasons of Christmas and Easter and for certain Feasts of Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary and angels and saints who were not martyrs. White may also be used for Masses of Christian Burial and for Masses for the Dead, to signify the Resurrection of Our Lord.
Red on one hand symbolizes the shedding of blood so it is used on Palm Sunday of the Lord`s Passion and on Good Friday and the days marking the martyrdom of the apostles, and on the feasts of other martyrs. Red also signifies the burning fire of God`s love, and for this reason red is worn on Pentecost, for Confirmation, and for votive Masses for of the Holy Spirit.
Green symbolized hope and new life and is used for the season of Ordinary Time, when we focus on the life Christ shared with mankind during His time on earth, the life we still share with Him in community of church and through His sacraments and the everlasting life with Him that we look forward to for all eternity.
Violet or Purple which is used during Advent and Lent represent penance, sacrifice and preparation. In the middle of both of these seasons, Gaudete Sunday (third Sunday of Advent) and Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), rose colored vestments are worn as a sign of joy at the reaching the half-way mark of preparation for the joy of Christmas or Easter.
Black vestments may be worn for Masses of Christian Burial, signifying death and mourning although this is rarely seen in the United States today, where white is usually worn. Also, it may be used on the Feast of All Souls.
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