LITURGICAL COLORS
The SIMPLE designation is a prescription which assumes that one has three sets of vestments - a set of non-metallic gold or some other pale color for general usage, a bright set of white, and a dark set of wine red or purple.
The TRADITIONAL designation is that commonly practiced in this country and which assumes multiple sets of vestments of varied colors.
Season or Feast |
Simple |
Traditional |
September 1 Beginning of the Church Year |
Bright |
Gold |
September 2 through 7 |
General or by Category |
|
September 8 through 12 Nativity of the Theotokos through its Leavetaking |
Bright |
Blue |
September 13 Dedication of the Church of the Resurrection |
Bright |
Gold |
September 14 through 21 Elevation of the Cross through its Leavetaking |
Dark |
Red |
September 22 through November 14 |
General or by Category |
|
November 15 through November 20 Nativity Fast |
Dark |
Red |
November 21 through 25 Presentation of the Theotokos through its Leavetaking |
Bright |
Blue |
November 26 through December 24 Nativity Fast |
Dark |
Red |
December 25 through January 14 Nativity of the Lord & Theophany through its Leavetaking |
Bright |
Gold |
January 8 through February 1 |
General or by Category |
|
February 2 through 9 Metting of the Lord in the Temple through its Leavetaking |
Bright |
Blue |
March 25 Annunciation |
Bright |
Blue |
February 10 through Cheesefare Sunday |
General or by Category |
|
The Great Fast & Great And Holy Week |
||
Simple |
Traditional |
|
Forgiveness Vespers changed during the Prokeimenon to |
Bright Dark |
Gold Purple |
Weekdays of the Great Fast |
Dark |
Purple |
Little Compline with Akathist Hymn |
Bright |
Blue |
Saturdays and Sundays of the Great Fast or some retain |
Bright Dark |
Gold Purple |
Sunday of the Cross and the week following or some retain |
Dark Dark |
Red Purple |
Saturday of the Akathist Hymn |
Bright |
Blue |
Services of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday |
Bright |
Gold |
Palm Sunday PM through Wednesday PM |
Dark |
Black/Purple |
Great Thursday Vesperal Divine Liturgy |
Dark |
Red |
Great Thursday PM through Friday PM |
Dark |
Black/Purple |
Great Saturday Vesperal Divine Liturgy changed during "Arise, O God" to |
Dark Bright |
Black/Purple White |
Season or Feast |
Simple |
Traditional |
Pascha through Saturday before Pentecost |
Bright |
White |
Pentecost through June 28 |
Bright |
Green |
June 29 and 30 |
Dark |
Red |
July 1 through 31 |
Bright |
Green |
August 1 through 5 Dormition Fast |
Dark |
Blue |
August 6 Transfiguration of the Lord |
Bright |
Gold |
August 7 through 12 Dormition Fast |
Dark |
Blue |
August 13 Leavetaking of the Transfiguration |
Bright |
Gold |
August 14 Dormition Fast |
Dark |
Blue |
August 15 through 23 Dormition through its Leavetaking |
Bright |
Blue |
August 24 through 28 |
General or by Category |
|
August 29 Beheading of the Forerunner |
Dark |
Red |
August 30 |
General or by Category |
|
GENERAL
General means a vestment of a pale color, or a mixture of light colors, being neither particularly bright nor dark. The most common general color is a non0metalic gold. Such a vestment is worn during those periods of the year which belong to no particular liturgical or festal season.
Color by Category of Feast |
||
Simple |
Traditional |
|
Of the Lord |
Bright |
Gold |
Of the Theotokos |
Bright |
Blue |
Of the Cross, the Forerunner, Apostles & Martyrs |
Dark |
Red |
Of other Saints, Commemorations, etc. |
Bright |
Gold |
Color by Season |
|
The exceptions within these seasonal color designations are listed above. |
|
Pascha through the Saturday before Pentecost |
White |
Pentecost through July 31st |
Green |
August 1st through the 23rd |
Blue |
August 24th through November 14th |
General |
November 15th through December 24th |
Red |
December 25th through January 14th |
Gold |
January 15th through Cheesefare Sunday |
General |
The Great Fast |
Purple |
Great & Holy Week |
Black |
