THE PARTS OF THE MASS

From the General Instruction of

the Roman Missal
The Mass is made up of two
parts: the Liturgy of the Word and
the Liturgy of the Eucharist. There
are also certain rites that open
and conclude the celebration.
THE INTRODUCTORY RITES
The rites preceding the Liturgy of
the Word, namely the Entrance,
Greeting, Act of Penitence, Kyrie ,
Gloria, and Collect, have the
character of a beginning,
introduction, and preparation.
Their purpose is to ensure that the
faithful who come together as one
establish communion and dispose
themselves to listen properly to
God's word and to celebrate the
Eucharist worthily.
The Entrance
After the people have gathered,
the Entrance chant begins as the
priest enters with the deacon and
ministers. The purpose of this
chant is to open the celebration,
foster the unity of those who have
been gathered, introduce their
thoughts to the mystery of the
liturgical season or festivity, and
accompany the procession of the
priest and ministers.
The Greeting
When they reach the sanctuary,
the priest, the deacon, and the
ministers reverence the altar with
a profound bow. As an expression
of veneration, moreover, the priest
and deacon then kiss the altar
itself; as the occasion suggests,
the priest also incenses the cross
and the altar. When the Entrance
chant is concluded, the priest
stands at the chair and, together
with the whole gathering, makes
the Sign of the Cross. Then he
signifies the presence of the Lord
to the community gathered there
by means of the Greeting. By this

Greeting and the people's

response, the mystery of the
Church gathered together is made
manifest.
The Act of Penitence
Then the priest invites those
present to take part in the Act of
Penitence, which, after a brief
pause for silence, the entire
community carries out through a
formula of general confession.
The rite concludes with the
priest's absolution, which,
however, lacks the efficacy of the
Sacrament of Penance.
The Kyrie Eleison
After the Act of Penitence, the
Kyrie is always begun, unless it
has already been included as part
of the Act of Penitence.
The Gloria
The Gloria is a very ancient and
venerable hymn in which the
Church, gathered together in the
Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats
God the Father and the Lamb.
The Collect
Next the priest invites the people
to pray. All, together with the
priest, observe a brief silence so
that they may be conscious of the
fact that they are in God's
presence and may formulate their
petitions mentally. Then the priest
says the prayer which is
customarily known as the Collect
and through which the character
of the celebration is expressed.
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
The main part of the Liturgy of
the Word is made up of the
readings from Sacred Scripture
together with the chants occurring
between them. The Homily,
Profession of Faith, and Prayer of
the Faithful, however, develop and
conclude this part of the Mass.
The Biblical Readings
In the readings, the table of God's
word is prepared for the faithful,

and the riches of the Bible are

opened to them. The reading of
the Gospel is the high point of the
Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy
itself teaches that great reverence
is to be shown to it by setting it
off from the other readings with
special marks of honor: whether
the minister appointed to proclaim
it prepares himself by a blessing
or prayer; or the faithful, standing
as they listen to it being read,
through their acclamations
acknowledge and confess Christ
present and speaking to them; or
the very marks of reverence are
given to the Book of the Gospels.
After the first reading comes the
responsorial Psalm, which is an
integral part of the Liturgy of the
Word and holds great liturgical and
pastoral importance, because it
fosters meditation on the word of
God. After the reading that
immediately precedes the Gospel,
the Alleluia or another chant
indicated by the rubrics is sung,
as required by the liturgical
season. An acclamation of this
kind constitutes a rite or act in
itself, by which the assembly of
the faithful welcomes and greets
the Lord who is about to speak to
them in the Gospel and professes
their faith by means of the chant.
The Homily
The homily is part of the Liturgy
and is strongly recommended, for
it is necessary for the nurturing of
the Christian life. It should be an
exposition of some aspect of the
readings from Sacred Scripture or
of another text from the Ordinary
or from the Proper of the Mass of
the day and should take into
account both the mystery being
celebrated and the particular
needs of the listeners. (There is
to be a homily on Sundays and
holy days of obligation at all

Masses that are celebrated with

the participation of a
congregation; it may not be
omitted without a serious reason.
It is recommended on other days,
especially on the weekdays of
Advent, Lent, and the Easter
Season, as well as on other
festive days and occasions when
the people come to church in
greater numbers.)
The Profession of Faith
The purpose of the Symbolum or
Profession of Faith, or Creed, is
that the whole gathered people
may respond to the word of God
proclaimed in the readings taken
from Sacred Scripture and
explained in the homily and that
they may also call to mind and
confess the great mysteries of the
faith by reciting the rule of faith in
a formula approved for liturgical
use, before these mysteries are
celebrated in the Eucharist.
The Prayer of the Faithful
In the Prayer of the Faithful, the
people respond in a certain way to
the word of God which they have
welcomed in faith and, exercising
the office of their baptismal
priesthood, offer prayers to God
for the salvation of all.
THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
At the Last Supper Christ
instituted the Paschal Sacrifice
and banquet by which the
Sacrifice of the Cross is
continuously made present in the
Church whenever the priest,
representing Christ the Lord,
carries out what the Lord himself
did and handed over to his
disciples to be done in his
memory. For Christ took the bread
and the chalice and gave thanks;
he broke the bread and gave it to
his disciples, saying, "Take, eat,
and drink: this is my Body; this is
the cup of my Blood. Do this in

memory of me." Accordingly, the

Church has arranged the entire
celebration of the Liturgy of the
Eucharist in parts corresponding to
precisely these words and actions
of Christ:
1. At the Preparation of the Gifts,
the bread and the wine with water
are brought to the altar, the same
elements that Christ took into his
hands.
2. In the Eucharistic Prayer,
thanks is given to God for the
whole work of salvation, and the
offerings become the Body and
Blood of Christ.
3. Through the Fraction and
through Communion, the faithful,
though they are many, receive
from the one bread the Lord's
Body and from the one chalice the
Lord's Blood in the same way the
Apostles received them from
Christ's own hands.
The Preparation of the Gifts
At the beginning of the Liturgy of
the Eucharist the gifts, which will
become Christ's Body and Blood,
are brought to the altar. First, the
altar, the Lord's table, which is
the center of the whole Liturgy of
the Eucharist, is prepared by
placing on it the corporal,
purificator, Missal, and chalice
(unless the chalice is prepared at
the credence table). The offerings
are then brought forward. It is
praiseworthy for the bread and
wine to be presented by the
faithful. They are then accepted at
an appropriate place by the priest
or the deacon and carried to the
altar. Even though the faithful no
longer bring from their own
possessions the bread and wine
intended for the liturgy as in the
past, nevertheless the rite of
carrying up the offerings still
retains its force and its spiritual
significance.

Once the offerings have been

placed on the altar and the
accompanying rites completed, the
invitation to pray with the priest
and the prayer over the offerings
conclude the preparation of the
gifts and prepare for the
Eucharistic Prayer.
The Eucharistic Prayer
Now the center and summit of the
entire celebration begins: namely,
the Eucharistic Prayer, that is, the
prayer of thanksgiving and
sanctification. The Eucharistic
Prayer demands that all listen to it
with reverence and in silence.
The chief elements making up the
Eucharistic Prayer may be
distinguished in this way:
a. Thanksgiving (expressed
especially in the Preface): In
which the priest, in the name of
the entire holy people, glorifies
God the Father and gives thanks
for the whole work of salvation or
for some special aspect of it that
corresponds to the day, festivity,
or season.
b. Acclamation : In which the whole
congregation, joining with the
heavenly powers, sings the
Sanctus . This acclamation, which
is part of the Eucharistic Prayer
itself, is sung or said by all the
people with the priest.
c. Epiclesis : In which, by means of
particular invocations, the Church
implores the power of the Holy
Spirit that the gifts offered by
human hands be consecrated, that
is, become Christ's Body and
Blood, and that the spotless
Victim to be received in
Communion be for the salvation of
those who will partake of it.
d. Institution narrative and
consecration: In which, by means
of words and actions of Christ, the
Sacrifice is carried out which
Christ himself instituted at the

Last Supper, when he offered his

Body and Blood under the species
of bread and wine, gave them to
his Apostles to eat and drink, and
left them the command to
perpetuate this same mystery.
e. Anamnesis : In which the
Church, fulfilling the command
that she received from Christ the
Lord through the Apostles, keeps
the memorial of Christ, recalling
especially his blessed Passion,
glorious Resurrection, and
Ascension into heaven.
f. Offering : By which, in this very
memorial, the Churchand in
particular the Church here and
now gatheredoffers in the Holy
Spirit the spotless Victim to the
Father. The Church's intention,
however, is that the faithful not
only offer this spotless Victim but
also learn to offer themselves, and
so day by day to be consummated,
through Christ the Mediator, into
unity with God and with each
other, so that at last God may be
all in all.
g. Intercessions : By which
expression is given to the fact
that the Eucharist is celebrated in
communion with the entire Church,
of heaven as well as of earth, and
that the offering is made for her
and for all her members, living and
dead, who have been called to
participate in the redemption and
the salvation purchased by
Christ's Body and Blood.
h. Final doxology : By which the
glorification of God is expressed
and is confirmed and concluded
by the people's acclamation,
Amen.
The Communion Rite
Since the Eucharistic Celebration
is the Paschal Banquet, it is
desirable that in keeping with the
Lord's command, his Body and
Blood should be received by the

faithful who are properly disposed

as spiritual food. This is the sense
of the fraction and the other
preparatory rites by which the
faithful are led directly to
Communion.
The Lord's Prayer
In the Lord's Prayer a petition is
made for daily food, which for
Christians means preeminently the
eucharistic bread, and also for
purification from sin, so that what
is holy may, in fact, be given to
those who are holy.
The Rite of Peace
The Rite of Peace follows, by
which the Church asks for peace
and unity for herself and for the
whole human family, and the
faithful express to each other their
ecclesial communion and mutual
charity before communicating in
the Sacrament.
The Fraction
The priest breaks the Eucharistic
Bread, assisted, if the case calls
for it, by the deacon or a
concelebrant. Christ's gesture of
breaking bread at the Last Supper,
which gave the entire Eucharistic
Action its name in apostolic times,
signifies that the many faithful are
made one body (1 Cor 10:17) by
receiving Communion from the
one Bread of Life which is Christ,
who died and rose for the
salvation of the world.
Communion
The priest prepares himself by a
prayer, said quietly, that he may
fruitfully receive Christ's Body and
Blood. The faithful do the same,
praying silently. The priest next
shows the faithful the Eucharistic
Bread, holding it above the paten
or above the chalice, and invites
them to the banquet of Christ.
Along with the faithful, he then
makes an act of humility using the
prescribed words taken from the

Gospels.
It is most desirable that the
faithful, just as the priest himself
is bound to do, receive the Lord's
Body from hosts consecrated at
the same Mass and that, in the
instances when it is permitted,
they partake of the chalice, so
that even by means of the signs
Communion will stand out more
clearly as a participation in the
sacrifice actually being celebrated.
While the priest is receiving the
Sacrament, the Communion chant
is begun. Its purpose is to express
the communicants' union in spirit
by means of the unity of their
voices, to show joy of heart, and
to highlight more clearly the
"communitarian" nature of the
procession to receive Communion.
When the distribution of
Communion is finished, as
circumstances suggest, the priest
and faithful spend some time
praying privately. If desired, a
psalm or other canticle of praise
or a hymn may also be sung by
the entire congregation.
To bring to completion the prayer
of the People of God, and also to
conclude the entire Communion
Rite, the priest says the Prayer
after Communion, in which he
prays for the fruits of the mystery
just celebrated.
THE CONCLUDING RITES
The concluding rites consist of
a. Brief announcements, if they
are necessary;
b. The priest's greeting and
blessing, which on certain days
and occasions is enriched and
expressed in the prayer over the
People or another more solemn
formula;
c. The dismissal of the people by
the deacon or the priest, so that
each may go out to do good
works, praising and blessing God;

d. The kissing of the altar by the

priest and the deacon, followed by
a profound bow to the altar by the
priest, the deacon, and the other
ministers.

O RDER O F M ASS
Introductory Rites
Entrance
Greeting
Penitential Act
Glory to God
Collect
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading
Responsorial Psalm
Second Reading (on Sundays and solemnities)
Gospel Acclamation
Gospel
Homily
Profession of Faith (on Sundays, solemnities, and
special occasions)
Universal Prayer
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Presentation of the Gifts and Preparation of the
Altar
Prayer over the Offerings
Eucharistic Prayer
Preface
Holy, Holy, Holy
First half of prayer, including Consecration
Mystery of Faith
Second half of prayer, ending with Doxology
The Lord's Prayer
Sign of Peace
Lamb of God
Communion
Prayer after Communion
Concluding Rites
Optional announcements
Greeting and Blessing
Dismissal
Another way of dividing a Mass is into its
"ordinary" partsthose texts which, with some
variations, are part of the Mass on a daily basis
and its "proper" partsthe texts of prayers and

selection of Scripture readings proper to the

specific feast, feria or other occasion being
observed.

The use of colors to differentiate liturgical

seasons became a common practice in the
Western church in about the fourth century. At
first, usages varied considerably but by the 12th
century Pope Innocent III systematized the use
of five colors: Violet, White, Black, Red and
Green. The Lutheran and Anglican churches that
emerged from the Reformation retained the
traditional colors but they disappeared entirely
(along with most other ritual) from the worship
of the Reformed churches. During the 20th
century, the ecumenical Liturgical Movement
prompted the rediscovery of ancient Christian
ritualincluding the traditional colors of the
Western church. To these have been added Blue
and Goldcolors that were used in some
Western rites before the 12th century.
Briefly, the colors express emotions and ideas
that are associated with each of the seasons of
the liturgical year. Violet is the ancient royal
color and therefore a symbol of the sovereignty
of Christ. Violet is also associated with
repentance from sin. White and Gold symbolize
the brightness of day. Black is the traditional
color of mourning in some cultures. Red evokes
the color of blood, and therefore is the color of
martyrs and of Christ's death on the Cross. Red
also symbolizes fire, and therefore is the color of
the Holy Spirit. Green is the color of growth.
Blue is the color of the sky and in some rites
honors Mary.
Congregations in the United Church of Christ
have the freedom to use any combination of
colors (or no particular colors) as seems best to
them. The use of traditional colors, however,
connects us to the wider Body of Christ and
provides worship planners with visual aids that
mark the transition from one season to another.
Colors can be used in altar and pulpit
decorations, vestments, banners and tapestries.
Advent
Image Image
Advent is a season of spiritual preparation for

the celebration of the birth of Christ (Christmas)

and looks forward to the future reign of Christ.
Eschatological expectation rather than personal
penitence is the central theme of the season.
Advent is a preparation for rather than a
celebration of Christmas, so Advent hymns
should be sung instead of Christmas carols. The
first Sunday of Advent is not the beginning of
the Christmas season. The Christmas celebration
begins on Christmas Eve and continues for the
next "twelve days of Christmas."
Purple is normally Advent's liturgical color,
associated both with the sovereignty of Christ
and with penitence. Deep Blue is also sometimes
used to distinguish the season from Lent. As the
color of the night sky, Blue symbolizes Christ
who in one ancient Advent song is called the
"Dayspring" or source of day. As the color
associated with Mary, Blue also reminds us that
during Advent the church waits with Mary for the
birth of Jesus.
Christmas and Christmas Season
Image
The Lectionary readings for Christmas and the
following twelve days (culminating in the feast of
the Epiphany) invite the church to reflect on the
Incarnation (or embodiment) of God as a human
being: "The Word became a human being and
lived among us, and we have seen his
glory...." (John 1:14). In Christ, God enters
human history and identifies fully with the human
condition.
The traditional colors of the season are White or
Gold, symbolizing joy in the light of day.
Season after Epiphany
Image
The season following Epiphany continues the
theme established on Epiphany Day: the spread
of the Good News of Christ from its source in
the Jewish community to all nations on earth.
The Lectionary therefore explores the mission of
the church in the world. The theme of this
season (along with the sequence of readings
from the Gospel) continues in the season after
Pentecost, so both seasons together can be
called the "Time of the Church." The traditional
liturgical color for both seasons, Green, is the
color of growth.
Lent
Image

The traditions of Lent are derived from the

season's origin as a time when the church
prepared candidates, or "catechumens," for their
baptism into the Body of Christ. It eventually
became a season of preparation not only for
catechumens but also for the whole
congregation. Self-examination, study, fasting,
prayer and works of love are disciplines
historically associated with Lent. Conversion
literally, the "turning around" or reorientation of
our lives towards Godis the theme of Lent.
Both as individuals and as a community, we look
inward and reflect on our readiness to follow
Jesus in his journey towards the cross. The forty
days of Lent correspond to the forty-day
temptation of Jesus in the wilderness and the
forty-year journey of Israel from slavery to a new
community.
On Ash Wednesday, ashes are placed on the
foreheads of the congregation as a symbol that
we have come from dust and one day will return
to dust. It is one of many Lenten and Easter
customs that remind us of our historical
connection with Jewish tradition. With this
sobering reminder of life's fragility, we begin a
spiritual quest that continues until the Easter
Vigil, when new members of the church are
often baptised and the entire congregation joins
in a reaffirmation of baptismal vows. Most of this
time of preparation is symbolized by the color
Violet, though the season is bracketed by the
mourning Black of Ash Wednesday and Good
Friday. As an alternative to Violet, some
churches have begun to use brown, beige or gray
(the colors of rough unbleached cloth like burlap)
to reflect the season's mood of penitence and
simplicity. The somber colors are a reminder of
the unbleached "sackcloth" worn by mourners
and penitents in the Jewish tradition.
Holy Week
Image Image Image
During Holy Week, the congregation follows the
footsteps of Jesus from his entry into Jerusalem
(Palm/Passion Sunday) through the Last Supper
(Maundy Thursday) to his death on the Cross
(Good Friday). Red, the color of blood and
therefore of martyrs, is the traditional color for
Palm/Passion Sunday and the next three days of
Holy Week. On Maundy Thursday, White or Gold
symbolizes the church's rejoicing in the

sacrament of the Lord's Supper. But at the end

of the Maundy Thursday celebration, the mood
changes abruptly: all decorations are removed
and the Holy Table is stripped bare. The church
becomes as empty as a tomb. On Good Friday,
either Black or Red is customaryalthough the
use of no color at all is also appropriate. The
Red of Holy Week is sometimes a deeper red
than the brighter scarlet color associated with
Pentecost.
Easter and Pentecost
Image Image
Instead of finding a sealed tomb, the women who
had come at dawn on Sunday are surprised by
an angel who announces astonishing news:
"Jesus has been raised from the dead" (Matt.
28:7). The heavenly messenger invites the
mourners to see the empty tomb and then go
and tell the disciples that the Crucified One is
alive!
The season from Easter to Pentecost is also
called the Great Fifty Days, a tradition inspired
by the Jewish season of fifty days between
Passover and Shavuotthe feast celebrating the
giving of the Torah to Moses.
The liturgical color for this season is celebratory
White or Gold. When the season ends on
Pentecost Sunday, White is replaced with Red.
This color reminds the congregation of firethe
symbol of the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost the Holy
Spirit overpowered the barriers of culture and
race. The first Sunday after Pentecost celebrates
the Trinity, and the color again is White or Gold.
Season after Pentecost
Image
This longest season of the liturgical year is a
continuation of the "Time of the Church" that
began on the Sunday after Epiphany. It explores
the mission of the church and uses the color of
Green, symbolizing growth. During this season,
the Lectionary offers two options for readings
from Hebrew Scripture: the first, topical option
selects readings thematically related to the
Epistle or Gospel texts. The second, sequential
option reads through an entire book of Hebrew
Scripture in sequence.
Other Holy Days and observances
Image Image
Pentecostal Red is also the traditional color for
Reformation Day on October 31. White or Gold is

the color for All Saints Day on November 1 and

is also an alternative to Green on the last
Sunday after Pentecostthe feast of the Reign
of Christ.
During other observances, the tradition is to use
Red on commemorations of martyrs and other
saints. As the color of the Holy Spirit, it is
appropriate for ordinations. The colors of
Christmas, White or Gold, are also customary on
other feast days that celebrate the Incarnation
or Resurrection of Christ (Holy Name, Baptism,
Presentation, Annunciation, Visitation, Ascension
and Transfiguration). Black for centuries was the
traditional color for funerals, but in the past fifty
years many liturgical churches have preferred to
use White or Goldthe colors of Easter and
therefore of Resurrection hope.

The different colours are drawn from creation to

remind those participating in a liturgy of the
different blessings of God.
The colours used are white (or gold), purple (or
violet), green , red and rose pink .
WHITE
White (or gold), since it is a festive, joyful colour,
is used during the Christmas and Easter seasons,
and on major feast days, such as, on the
celebrations of the Lord other than of his
Passion, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Holy
Angels, and of Saints who were not martyrs, and
on the Solemnities of All Saints. Because white
symbolises the Resurrection, it is also the colour
often used for funerals.
PURPLE
Purple (or violet) symbolises repentance and
penance. Vestments of purple or violet are used
during the seasons of Advent and Lent.
The colour reminds us of the violet flower that
bows its head and is a symbol of humility. Lent
is the season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It
is a quiet season of reflection. The colour of
Advent is more of a rose-purple, like the sky just
before sunrise. This is the time of year when the
Church waits in joyful hope to celebrate the birth
of Jesus Christ, the light of the world.
Purple or violet dye was very expensive. An early

Christian, Lydia from Thyatira, made her living

from the purple dye trade and was able to
support St Paul in his missionary work (Acts 16:
14-15).
GREEN
Green is a sign of life in nature and as such it
represents growth, life and hope. Green is the
colour worn most often during liturgies in
Ordinary Time. It symbolises the graces that
draw people into the life of God. Most of the
Church's year is Ordinary Time.
RED
Red symbolises both blood and fire. It is the
colour that is used on Passion (Palm) Sunday,
Pentecost Sunday , and for celebrations of the
Sacrament of Confirmation. It is also the colour
that has traditionally been associated with
martyrs those who have shed their blood for
their faith and so it is worn on the feast days of
martyrs.
ROSE PINK
Rose pink is an optional colour that may be used
on the Third Sunday of Advent and the Fourth
Sunday of Lent . On both of these days, the
Entrance Antiphon calls us to rejoice, so the pink
vestments mark a softening of the penitential
tone of the season.

White
Season of Christmas
Season of Easter
Feasts of the Lord, other than of His passion
Feasts of Mary, the angels, and saints who were
not martyrs
All Saints (1 November)
Feasts of the Apostles
Nuptial Masses
Masses for the dead (Requiem Masses) when
the deceased is a baptized child who died before
the age of reason
Note: White is the color of Popes' non-liturgical dress. White can be replaced
by Silver.
the Passion
blood
fire
God's Love
martyrdom

Red
Feasts of the Lord's passion, Blood, and Cross
Feasts of the martyrs
Palm Sunday
Pentecost
Note: Red is the color of Cardinals' non-liturgical dress
the Holy
Ghost
life eternal
hope
Green
Time After Epiphany
Time After Pentecost
penance
humility
melancholy
Violet
Season of Advent
Season of Septuagesima
Season of Lent
Rogation Days
Ember Days (except for Pentecost Ember Days)
Vigils except for Ascension and Pentecost
Good Friday
Note: Violet, literally "amaranth red," is the color of Bishops', Archbishops',
and Patriarchs'
non-liturgical dress
mourning
sorrow
Black
All Souls Day
Masses for the dead (Requiem Masses), except
for baptized children who've died before the age
of reason
joy
Rose
Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent)
Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent)
joy
Gold
Gold can replace white, red, or green (but not
violet or black)

Church Seasons and

Their Colors
The colors of paraments and other sanctuary
decorations correspond to the different

seasons of the Christian calendar, or liturgical

year. These seasons tell the story of our faith
year after year and help us structure our
worship services.
ADVENT
The first season of the Christian year. It is a
season of preparation for Christs promised
coming. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday
before Christmas.
Purple or blue are the colors for this season.
Purple is the color of royalty as we preparw
for the coming of Jesus the King. Some
churches use blue for Advent because purple
is also the color of another liturgical season.
Blue is the color of pre-dawn light.
CHRISTMAS
Christmas celebrates Jesus birth. This season
lasts from Christmas Eve until January 5, the
day before Epiphany.
White or gold are the colors for this season.
These colors together signify celebrations
reserved for only the most important Christian
holidays.
SEASON AFTER EPIPHANY
The Season After Epiphany marks the arrival
of the three wise men and is typically
celebrated on the first Sunday of January but
technically, it begins on January 6 and
continues until the Tuesday before Ash
Wednesday.
This season celebrates Christs divinity
(symbolized by frankincense), royalty
(symbolized by gold), and sacrifice
(symbolized by myrrh, which is used for
annointing and embalming).
Green is color for this season. It symbolizes
growth as we study the life of Jesus as He
grows from a child to a man during this
season.
LENT
Lent recalls Jesus 40 day temptation in the
wilderness and His journey toward Jerusalem
and the cross. The 40 days (not including
Sundays) of Lent begin with Ash Wednesday
and continue through Holy Week.
Purple is the color for this season. Even
though purple is the color of royalty, it is also
the color of penitence.
EASTER
Easter celebrates Christs resurrection. The

Easter season goes from Easter Sunday until

Pentecost.
White or gold are the colors for this season.
Like Christmas, this is one of the holiest and
most celebrated days of the Christian year,
Christs resurrection.
PENTECOST
Pentecost commemorates the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit and the establishment of the
church. Pentecost is the fiftieth day after
Easter.
Red is the color for this season. It is the color
of fire, which represents the Holy Spirit.
ORDINARY TIME (or KINGDOM TIDE)
This season is the time between Pentecost and
Advent. It is a time to reflect on doing the
work of Gods kingdom and growing
spiritually.
Green is also the color for this season. It is the
color of growth and symbolizes our growth in
faith and understanding in the general
teachings of the church.
COMMUNION AND BAPTISM
Communion and baptism are not seasons but
they are represented by the color of white.
These sacraments signify the cleansing of the
soul through the grace of Jesus Christ.