Priests wear white on Easter. Easter is a time of renewal, and white is the color of purity. It’s also the symbol of Christian light, which reflects God’s love. In addition, it represents an empty tomb: the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid after his death.
Because the robes are so bright, they can be seen from afar—especially when priests process through a church or cathedral during Easter Vigil Mass.
Priest wear white robes. Many people believe this is because they want to reflect the light of God and be pure, but in reality it’s because they don’t want to get their clothes dirty.
Priests are required to wear white robes because they are often called upon to bless food or perform other rituals that involve touching things. If a priest were wearing any other color, he could not be trusted to keep his hands clean during these rituals.
During sundays as well as eulogies, priests of the Catholic faith don vestments of various colors. These colors are usually a reflection of the time of year it is in the liturgical calendar. Except in times of mourning, priests will usually stay with the normal yearly progression of vestment colors.
Green
Green is the standard color for “Ordinary Time,” the stretches of time between Easter and Christmas, and vice versa. It is meant to represent the anticipation and hope in the resurrection of Christ. Green symbolizes the hope and life of each new day.
Purple
Worn during Lent or the Advent, purple represents penance, preparation, and sacrifice. It is also worn at funerals because of its connection to mourning. Purple vestments are donned to remind the funeral-goers to pray for the penance and absolution of the departed.
Rose
Rose vestments are only worn twice in the liturgical year, during the third sunday of Advent, and the fourth sunday of Lent. These colors are worn on these days to show the joy and love in Christ. They are to remind Catholics of the joy in the times of penance and worship.
Red
Red is symbolic of passion and blood. It is worn during the feasts of the martyrs, Good Friday, Palm Sunday, and the Pentecost. The Cardinals wear red as a symbol for their devotion to the church and the Pope. It is to show their blood, which they would shed for Christ and the church. Red is worn by children during Confirmation to symbolize the passion for Christ.
Blue
Blue vestments are worn only one day every year, during the Feast of Mary.
White or Gold
White or GoldDepending on the region, your priest may have white and/or gold robes. These robes are worn on Christmas and Easter. They symbolize the birth and resurrection of Christ. White robes are sometimes worn by the clergymen who perform eulogies and funeral ceremonies. The white robes are to celebrate the life, rather than the death, of the deceased. The Pope’s default robes are white, to show his place as the closest liason of Christ’s glory.
Black
While not as common here in America, black vestments used to be worn to funerals. They are still seen outside of the USA, but became less popular after the 1960’s during the Second Vatican Council. Black vestments are meant to reflect the mourning felt by those at the funerals. Black vestments stand as a reminder to pray for the soul of the departed. Black is the standard color for the clergy’s everyday clothes. It is meant to stand for the humility and sacrifice of clerical life, in the hopes that it will bring them closer to God.
Matthew Funeral Home offers custom, hand-stitched vestments crafted by Staten Island nuns. The name of the deceased is stitched into the collar of the vestment, to keep the memory of your loved one.
For almost 50 years, Matthew Funeral Home has been serving the Staten Island community. We can help with almost every aspect of your loved one’s memorial service. Our family is here to serve yours, every step of the way.
