Colors are emblematic; and in the middle ages were always used
by the illuminators and church artists with regard to their
significance. Red, blue and yellow, or gold, the primary colors;
red, signifying divine love; blue, truth and constancy; gold,
divine glory; when united, are supposed to be good emblems of
the Holy Trinity. White, signifying light, purity, perfect
righteousness, is to be used by the Church from Christmas
eve to the octave of the Epiphany, symbolizing the purity of
the Infant Savior; but it is not to be used on St. Stephen’s
day, Holy Innocents, or Conversion of St. Paul. White, in an
illuminated text, may be represented by silver. It is also the
color for Maundy Thursday, Trinity Sunday, baptism, confirmation
and marriage. Violet is the ecclesiastical color for mourning;
it signifies passion, suffering and humility; therefore,
martyrs are sometimes clothed in it. It belongs to advent, Holy
Innocents (unless that feast falls on Sunday), Septuagesima to
Easter eve, Rogation days, and Ember weeks. Red, the symbol of
divine love and illumination (as flame) belongs to Pentecost;
and as the emblem of blood shed for the Feast of the Martyrs on
Whitsuntide. Blue signifies truth and constancy; when sprinkled
with gold stars it signifies heaven. It is not an ecclesiastical
color, but (as symbolical of heaven or truth) forms a beautiful
and significant ground for a text. Green, the emblem of eternal
spring, hope, immortality and conquest, is used on all Sundays.
Gold or yellow signifies glory, the goodness of God, faith;
it should be used on texts only for the divine name. Dingy
yellow signifies deceit. Black is used only on Good Friday.
It is symbolical of death and extreme grief. It is used also
at funerals, frequently combined with white. Purple signifies
royalty, love, passion and suffering. It is the color often worn
by martyrs as well as by kings. After His resurrection Christ
is sometimes represented in a purple mantle, as the symbol of
His kingly power. Violet and blue are the colors of penitence,
signifying sorrow and constancy. Gray signifies mourning,
humility, and innocence unjustly accused.--_The Decorator and
Furnisher._
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See EMBLEMS.