Does Altar Cloth color always match the Priests vestments?

[Husbandfatherservant]

I am trying to educated myself on the liturgical colors as it relates to the Altar Cloth and Priests Vestments.

Situation: Today is 5 June 2020. We are in Ordinary Times. On 3 June 2020, it was the Memorial for Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs. According to the Liturgical Calendar found on the USCCB website, the Liturgical color was Red. During daily Mass that day, the Altar Cloth was green but the Priest wore Red.

Question: Does the Altar Cloth color change with the Priests Vestment color based on the USCCB Liturgical Calendar?

 

[CRV]

The altar cloth should always be white.

The frontlet, the part that hangs down the front from the top edge of the altar, should be changed to match the liturgical color of the day. Though it could always be left as white, with a white tabernacle veil and the priest and chalice veil (if used in the OF) being the color of the day.

But they may not have a frontlet in each liturgical color.

In the EF, each day this week is called Pentecost Monday/ Pentecost Tuesday/Ember Wednesday After Pentecost/Pentecost Thursday etc - all red.

Edited to add
Monday was white, Tuesday was green or red and Wednesday is listed as red on page 26 of the calendar. So red it should be in the OF.

Perhaps it just was forgotten to be changed.

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[Husbandfatherservant]

Thank you for such a quick response! I really appreciate it. Yes, I believe it was just forgotten. My wife and I assist in the Parish, and we know they have all the liturgical colors for the frontlet cloth. But this is something that we are still new at and someone else usually takes are of that. So we were unsure.

This really helps. Thank you so much.

Follow-on question, looking further into the Liturgical Calendar, we found days (similar this past Tuesday) that would be listed as “green/white/white” or “green/white/red”. How do we interpret that? Are they optional colors that the Priest may choose on their own accord? If they are optional colors, then why is white listed twice?

I’m sorry if I am showing my ignorance. And thank you for the information. God bless!

BTW, we are looking at the same calendar. Lol. This is one thing that I love about our Church… continuity, uniformity, standardization. But not in a oppressive matter, but a beautiful expression of faith. Even something as simple as a Liturgical Calendar. Haha.

 

[CRV]

So Saturday 6th June is listed as green (Because we’re in ordinary time), white (Because there’s the optional memorial for St. Norbet) and white a second time (because Saturday’s are often celebrated as BVM/ Blessed Virgin Mary - Marian Masses).

If they’re optional memorials yes its up to Fr what Mass he celebrates.

 

[Husbandfatherservant]

This is perfect! Thank you so much!

 

[CRV]

You’re welcome, and thank you both for stepping up to fulfill the need at your parish. God bless.

 

[gotDoug]

In theory they should, but in practice this is not always the case. Our parish does not change altar cloths for memorials on weekdays. I guess it would get very tedious for the priest to constantly change the cloths nearly everyday. Sometimes there may be several color changes in a single day! Perhaps on a given Saturday in Ordinary Time, there is a morning Memorial Mass for a Martyr (red), then a funeral or wedding in the afternoon (white), and then the evening anticipatory Sunday Mass (green).

 

[1ke]

Our parish does not change altar cloths for memorials on weekdays.

Neither do we. Sundays only. We have only a white altar cloth, no antependium. So the altar is always just white.

We change the tabernacle veil to match the liturgical season, changing it only on Sunday if needed. And one may always use white.

The priest wears a vestment in the liturgical color of the day. That’s all that really needs to be in the color of the day. And even that could be white.

 

[CRV]

In theory they should, but in practice this is not always the case.

That is very true.

I guess it would get very tedious for the priest to constantly change the cloths nearly everyday. Sometimes there may be several color changes in a single day! … … Saturday in Ordinary Time, there is a morning Memorial Mass for a Martyr (red), then a funeral or wedding in the afternoon (white), and then the evening anticipatory Sunday Mass (green).

Which occurs in places where both the OF and the EF are celebrated everyday. It keeps the sacristan busy . It (as well as the tabernacle veil) may also be left white at all times, and then only the priests’ vestments and chalice veil need be the color of the liturgical celebration.

no antependium

If there isn’t any antependium (frontal) or frontlet/superfrontal, then there would only be the tabernacle veil to change, and as 1ke noted, white is always permissible, and so it doesn’t need to be changed if that’s not wanted.

priest wears a vestment … … And even that could be white.

Yes.

@Husbandfatherservant
You might find this helpful
IV Sacred Vestments … in particular scroll down to #346

 

[Anne1964]

I am a sacristan in a parish that has both the OF and EF Mass. On Sundays we have an EF Mass, an OF Mass and then another EF Mass.

We only use a white altar cloth, but we do change the tabernacle veil, chalice veil and burse color to match the priest’s vestments for each Mass, and of course, the maniple for the EF Masses.