www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Pentecost color differenced btwn East and West?

Christ is risen!

This morning, my co-worker, asked me what color did our Priest wear for Pentecost Sunday. I explained his outer garment was green, and explained the significance of the color green for Pentecost, as part of our Judaic tradition and inheritance.

He then advised me that his Priest wore bright red, and would use the green this week. When I asked him why red, he could not provide me with the reasoning.

My friend attends a Roman Catholic Church, whereas, I attend a Byzantine Catholic Church.

What is the significance of the red? I believe for the BCC, it is used for Feasts of Martyrs and Saints?

Thank you.

In Christ,

Michael

I believe red is used in the Roman Rite to symbolize the "tongues of fire" that descended on the apostles.

Dave

In the "General Instruction on the Roman Missal" issued in 2001 by the Roman Church, the following is said about using red vestments:

"Red is used on Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion and on Good Friday, on Pentecost Sunday, on celebrations of the Lord's Passion, on the feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists, and on celebrations of Martyr Saints."

In the Eastern Churches, of course, the primary color scheme is designated in the Typikon as "bright" and "dark." The Russian, Ukrainian, and Carpatho-Rusyn churches, under western influence, developed their own color-scheme. In this plan, GREEN is the color of the vestments of the clergy and the altar, on the Day of Pentecost and the week after (at least--in the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of Johnstown, the directive from the Chancery Office in 1985 said that green was to be worn from Pentecost to the feast of the Prophet Elias in July. This may no longer be in effect.)

The official books of both churches lack an explanation of why certain colors are used. In many manuals, however, the color sequence is interpreted. In the Roman Rite, red is used on the feast of Pentecost because it is the color of the tongues of fire which descended upon the apostles and the Theotokos on the first Pentecost.

In the Slav-Byzantine churches, where we emphasize the Holy Spirit as the "Lord and Giver of LIFE," the color green is used to symbolize the new life of spring. Remember that the spring comes much later in central and eastern Europe than it does in the Mediterranean.

It is very interesting that the East Slavic custom of decorating the churches with live branches was copied by the Jews who lived in that area, who followed this same practice for the Jewish feast of Shavuot (i.e., "Weeks," the feast of Pentecost). We know this because it is mentioned in certain "responsa" (i.e., rabbinic writings about theological issues) condemning the practice as having been adopted from Christians. It is interesting to note that the practice never died out, especially among the Hasidim.

Prof. J. Michael Thompson
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA

In the Greek traditon, the color green has not entered into the color scheme of Liturgical colors as it did in the Slavic tradition. As a rule it is prescribed that Gold be worn for the feast of Pentecost. I know though of some clergy that will wear a green/gold vestment for Pentecost. But for most clergy (at least for Greek clergy who own their own vestments as opposed to the clergy of the OCA, where the church purchases the priestly vestments) not many have any green vestments. It could be that even in the color scheme used by the Slavic churches, green is used seldomly throughout the liturgical year.
It is a shame, because it cuts down on the variety of colors that make people aware of at least the variety of liturgical seasons at least for the Greek faithful.

In the Risen Christ,
Father Anthony+

Father, bless! In the Russian tradition green is also sometimes worn for ascetics (filled with the Holy Spirit - hence the use of Green and the Pentecost connection); green is very often worn on Palm Sunday in many Slavic churches, not just Russian; and green is sometimes used in the Russian tradition for the feasts of the Holy Cross (referencing the Tree of the Cross, green brances, etc.). I think green receives, as you have already mention, much more use in the Slavic and specifically Russian tradition relative to the Greek.

Michael - red is one of those unique colors that can transcend the bright/dark distinction. You are quite correct that red is often used for martyrs. In Slavic languages "krasnyj" can mean both red and "very beautiful". In some Russian usages, for Paschal Matins (and sometimes the Divine Liturgy) white is worn. At either the Divine Liturgy or Agape Vespers for Pascha the vestment color is changed to "krasnyj", a bright red with gold ornamentation and trim, and this is worn for Bright Week. White is then worn from Thomas Sunday until Pentecost.

Since many parishes do not have purple or black sets, it seems red is worn in many places for funerals outside of Bright Week and for Lent ast well. Although technically black is an introduction from the West, being first used on a large scale at the funeral of Tsar Peter II, it is now used in Russian churches frequently for funerals and Great Lent. That is one borrowing from the Latins that I have no problem with and like, although purple is also very nice for Lent and funerals.

Thank you all for your responses. This information has really enlightened me and I now have an even deeper appreciation for our liturgical colors and customs from both the east and the west.

I am looking forward to sharing this information today.

In Christ,

Michael

Green as a liturgical color is used by the Latin Church on the Sundays of Ordinary Time, the time after Epiphany and the time after Pentecost. The use of green denotes life.

Red vestments also are employed for Latin Rite Confirmation Masses (except when those take place during Lent, and Violet must be used).

In some places it is traditional for the "confirmandi" to wear red robes, sashes, ties, dresses, flowers, etc. on their Confirmation day.

Martin

Martin,

Would this again then reflect the "light" or flame of The Holy Spirit?

Bless, Father Anthony,

Then may I make the assumption that Gold is worn for the entire Trinity as an expression of joy and love?

In Christ,

Michael

Dear Michael,

You probably could assume that, but the explanation given in seminary that every Sunday is celebrated as the day of Resurrection, and thus should have the colors prescribed for that period. It is greatly discouraged from using any color that does not have white in it or gold ornamentation even during the Sundays of the Great Fast. Some ignore this directive and will use somber colors during the Fast, but recently I had a visit during fast on a Sunday, and was warned by another priest to use my Gold/White set. As it was the bishop had those colors for his vestments.

I have used other colors for feasts, but on Sundays they are pretty picky about Gold/White vestments.

In the Risen Christ,
Father Anthony+

The color red represents The Holy Spirit.

When did priests stop wearing black and/or dark purple vestments for funerals and during holy week?

What I'm accustomed to seeing in the Russian church is:

Green is worn during Trinity Week and and Palm Sunday and, possibly, Lazarus Saturday. Note that Trinity and Palm Sunday are also the only two feasts where the church is decorated with tree branches: Palms for Palm Sunday, and Oaks, for the Oak of Mamre, for Trinity. I suspect that the other uses you mention are attempts to find a use for the least commonly used color of vestments.

The notion of a special color for funerals is alien to me. At Baptisms white is always used and at weddings it often is; for everything else, funerals included, the color of the day is used.

Black is used for the weekdays of the Great Fast and the Dormition Fast, although much of the latter is during the afterfeast of the Transfiguration, when white is used. For the Saturdays of these fasts, dark red is the default color, and for Sundays, bright red; for the other two fasts, dark red is the default color for weekdays, and bright red for Saturdays and Sundays.

During Pentecost, festal white (and gold) is worn except for the last two days, a Saturday for the dead and Trinity Sunday; I have never heard of green or any other than white for the first 48 days of Pentecost.

My understanding is that in the Latin Rite, vestment colors became standardized only in the Nineteenth Century, but this has not happened anywhere else; certainly, local Churches may have prescribed customs. Also, I've noted in Greece, the color of the day, as we are speaking of, may be used for Liturgy, but for other services, the colors may change; on Athos I've often seen sundry colors used throughout the vigil, and even at Liturgy, mixed colors used by different priests and deacon (although they don't change colors during the service, which they may do for vigil).

Photius