Definitive answer on this please: LAITY wears red on Palm Sunday?

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Kathryn_Ann

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Hi,:heaven:
I’ve searched the forums but have not seen an answer to this particular question: May the laity wear red on Palm Sunday,* including those who are not assisting at the altar, etc*?

For some reason, I think of red only for Pentecost Sunday, but my question for that day would also be, is it all right for the laity (the congregation) to wear red on both days? My background before converting was “evangelical,” and in some churches, ladies were told never to wear red. I know this is different in the Catholic Church, but as I am a fairly new convert, I wanted to make sure.

My main concern is about laity/congregation who are not assisting wearing red. And is this a tradition of solidarity with the meaning of the day (The Passion of our Lord on Palm Sunday, and on Pentecost, the flames/tongues of fire/receiving the Holy Spirit?)

I would be very appreciative of guidance on these questions. Also, while on the subject, is only black suggested for the laity for Holy Thursday and Good Friday?
Thank you:angel1:
 
I guess things are different in the Evangelical tradition, but under no circumstances does the Church presume to govern what colors laity can wear. You can wear any color of the rainbow you feel like on any day. The Church does not even make suggestions. Obviously, electric pink might be a little outré for All Souls’ Day, but this is just not a topic governed by the Church.
 
I’ve noticed red shirts worn by the choir at my parents’ church for Palm Sunday and Pentecost as example, white shirts on Easter, etc with black pants/trousers for both genders (or skirts for women). That may be the choir director’s request so all look uniform as they don’t wear choir robes.

I don’t own a red shirt, so I will probably wear a red scarf/shawl instead for Palm Sunday then later for Pentecost. I am sure the priest doesn’t ask us to wear purple during Lent or Advent but some people do anyways. I’ve never heard of any priest encouraging people to wear certain colors to Mass during certain times. Most of my clothing is black but I do own a few items with some color to them.
 
Agreed that the Church would never prescribe what colours are worn or not worn by laypeople on any day. If you feel like wearing red on Palm Sunday, you are free, as you are free to wear black. You are equally free to wear black to your own wedding if you want, or rainbow colours to a funeral or whatever.
 
MarkThompson said:
I guess things are different in the Evangelical tradition, but under no circumstances does the Church presume to govern what colors laity can wear. You can wear any color of the rainbow you feel like on any day. The Church does not even make suggestions. Obviously, electric pink might be a little outré for All Souls’ Day, but this is just not a topic governed by the Church.
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Agreed. The Church has never done so and I would be absolutely shocked to even hear a pastor make a recommendation regarding the color of one’s dress for a specific day.
 
I’ve seen this where it is announced “everyone wear red on Pentecost!” “wear purple on the 1st sunday of Lent” etc, but it is by no means a requirement in the Catholic Church. At my parish, the Family Mass does this… kind of silly if you ask me.
 
mfrances said:
I’ve seen this where it is announced “everyone wear red on Pentecost!” “wear purple on the 1st sunday of Lent” etc, but it is by no means a requirement in the Catholic Church. At my parish, the Family Mass does this… kind of silly if you ask me.
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I think it’s a bit silly too. You end up with a parish looking like a baseball team.

~Liza
 
mfrances said:
I’ve seen this where it is announced “everyone wear red on Pentecost!” “wear purple on the 1st sunday of Lent” etc, but it is by no means a requirement in the Catholic Church. At my parish, the Family Mass does this… kind of silly if you ask me.
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This is what I’ve seen, but, thank goodness, rarely. It seems silly to me as well…and why single out Pentecost? Why not purple for every Sunday in Lent and Advent, except for Gaudete Sunday, when everyone should wear rose? Absurd, but thankfully, not required (even by priests who encourage it on Pentecost).
 
JKirkLVNV said:
This is what I’ve seen, but, thank goodness, rarely. It seems silly to me as well…and why single out Pentecost? Why not purple for every Sunday in Lent and Advent, except for Gaudete Sunday, when everyone should wear rose? Absurd, but thankfully, not required (even by priests who encourage it on Pentecost).
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I am not wearing pink in church or anywhere else >:-(
 
I know that the Last Supper is when the sacraments of Holy Orders and the Eucharist were instituted… the reason I’ve always heard for why Pentecost (rather than Easter) is the birthday of the Church is because of Jesus’ words in John 14:16 – “I will pray to the Father and He will send you another Comforter” (i.e. the Holy Spirit, who descended at Pentecost) and because of the Apostles’ actions right after Jesus rose from the dead (i.e. they “hid for fear of the Jews” rather than teaching/baptizing).
 
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