Good Friday Vestments (2018)

[FrDavid96]

So, the take away from this very long thread is that the vestments for Good Friday in the EF is Black and perhaps violet; and, for the OF, it is Red. Also, in the EF, Good Friday is considered a day of mourning (in respect for the apostles seeing their Lord die, not yet fully understanding what was to come) and in the OF, it is considered a day of celebration (concentrating on and understanding what did come about).

Mostly.

The only thing I’d change would be the last sentence. In the Ordinary Form, (aka the novus ordo) Good Friday is not a celebration (in the sense of ‘happy’). Instead, the color red represents the Passion of Christ, just as we wear red for other martyrs. The E.F. is black because Good Friday is the “funeral” of Christ. Violet is worn, briefly for Holy Communion, because black is not used when the theme is Communion.

 

[BridgetN]

’m curious - at your service today, this Good Friday, what vestments did the priests wear?

Black, red, or white? I’ve seen all three - but I prefer black.

Black is the Traditional color, and it is most proper because it signifies mourning.

 

[rondirect]

The only thing I’d change would be the last sentence. In the Ordinary Form, (aka the novus ordo) Good Friday is not a celebration (in the sense of ‘happy’). Instead, the color red represents the Passion of Christ, just as we wear red for other martyrs. The E.F. is black because Good Friday is the “funeral” of Christ. Violet is worn, briefly for Holy Communion, because black is not used when the theme is Communion.

Not being argumentative, but responding for the sake of a good discussion/ dialog: People can look at the Passion of Christ in two ways in my opinion, as mention throughout this thread: as a funeral or as a celebration. Yes, GF is the “funeral” of Christ (BTW, does the EF priests wear black during a funeral, whereas novus ordo priests wear white (resurrection)?) and I can understand why and respect that; but, for me, it is so much more that that: it is also a celebration of what Christ endured for us sinners. It was God’s plan all along and Jesus knew he would die this way for us. He “laid down his life…for us!”
Christ was not executed just because some hated him or by mistake. In that alone, perhaps we should be, in some way be “happy,” or if that word is too strong for GF, perhaps, thankful, glad or whatever and celebrate.

Actually, my ORDO states: “Friday of the Passion of the Lord: Celebration of the Lord’s Passion.” Paraphrasing the words in the ORDO per the readings: “Entrusting his life to the Father, Jesus bore our infirmities, and, obedient unto death, won for us eternal salvation.” Wow! (of course, my word!), something to celebrate?

Father, you said that in the novus ordo form, Good Friday is not a celebration in the sense of happy. Do you believe that it is a celebration in another way?

Black/Violet or Red; Funeral or Celebration: I respect all for what they believe Good Friday represents to them. For me, I think I made that clear.

 

[babochka]

Actually, my ORDO states: “Friday of the Passion of the Lord: Celebration of the Lord’s Passion.” Paraphrasing the words in the ORDO per the readings: “Entrusting his life to the Father, Jesus bore our infirmities, and, obedient unto death, won for us eternal salvation.” Wow! (of course, my word!), something to celebrate?

Father, you said that in the novus ordo form, Good Friday is not a celebration in the sense of happy. Do you believe that it is a celebration in another way?

Black/Violet or Red; Funeral or Celebration: I respect all for what they believe Good Friday represents to them. For me, I think I made that clear.

The word celebrate has different meanings. In the case of Good Friday (or, for that matter, the Mass, the word is used in the sense of the first (and perhaps second) definition from the following dictionary entry.

Definition of CELEBRATE

to perform (a sacrament or solemn ceremony) publicly and with appropriate rites; to honor (an occasion, such as a holiday) especially by solemn ceremonies or by refraining from ordinary business… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

Definition of celebrate
celebrated; celebrating
transitive verb
1 : to perform (a sacrament or solemn ceremony) publicly and with appropriate rites A priest celebrates Mass.
2 a : to honor (an occasion, such as a holiday) especially by solemn ceremonies or by refraining from ordinary business The nation celebrates Memorial Day.
b : to mark (something, such as an anniversary) by festivities or other deviation from routine celebrated their 25th anniversary
3 : to hold up or play up for public notice her poetry celebrates the glory of nature

 

[semper_catholicus]

They shouldn’t be. The prescribed colour in the OF is red.

 

[rondirect]

They shouldn’t be. The prescribed colour in the OF is red.

I was surprised to read that as well. But, then again, there are priests (forgive me Fr. David) who really don’t follow the guidelines as closely as they should. The priest in this case, even in a novus ordo form church, feels that black is more appropriate; and, their out can be given “legally” by saying it’s for “pastoral reasons!”

 

[rondirect]

1 : to perform (a sacrament or solemn ceremony) publicly and with appropriate rites A priest celebrates Mass.

Glad to see the definition did not just mention “Mass,” but added ceremony and rites as well. Otherwise, someone would probably discount the equation of Celebrate to Good Friday by dear ole Merriam since Mass, by its own definition, is not celebrated on Good Friday. It’s purely a “Liturgy” of the Word, Adoration and Veneration of the Holy Cross, and Communion only (but you knew that!).

 

[rondirect]

Hmm, I want to say that last year, when it landed on Annunciation, he started in blue (still used in the East), and switched to black when the blue was removed from the Holy Table.

Catching up: I remember when blue was OK for Advent, but no longer as far as I know. On Marian feasts however, the color is white, but I’ve seen some priests wear white with a blue M and other blue markings for Mary.

 

[babochka]

dochawk:

Hmm, I want to say that last year, when it landed on Annunciation, he started in blue (still used in the East), and switched to black when the blue was removed from the Holy Table.

Catching up: I remember when blue was OK for Advent, but no longer as far as I know. On Marian feasts however, the color is white, but I’ve seen some priests wear white with a blue M and other blue markings for Mary.

In the East, the only defined colors are only dark and light. Within those broad limits, other colors are sometimes worn by custom - blue for Marian feasts, green for Pentecost, etc.

 

[dochawk]

Note that this was byzantine, not latin, usage as I describe it.

hawk

 

[semper_catholicus]

Yeah. I don’t like when priests feel that they can just change the liturgy in any way they want. It happened at our parish on Good Friday too. Fr. switched around the Veneration of the Cross and the General Intercessions.

 

[rondirect]

Yeah. I don’t like when priests feel that they can just change the liturgy in any way they want. It happened at our parish on Good Friday too. Fr. switched around the Veneration of the Cross and the General Intercessions.

I understand and when this happens it confuses the other ministries as well: music, ushers for the collection for the Holy Land. With the differences of the days of the Triduum, the priests don’t do this on purpose, they just forget or forget to refresh themselves, thinking that they know the order. This happened by mistake a number of times years ago, so I decided to make a cut and paste version of the missal and place it in a nice LTP binder, one for the deacon and one for the priest. Now, I just hand it to them and they follow the 4 page liturgy; even a note when the collection is taken, marked in bold letters and high lighted AFTER the intercessory prayers. It works!

 

[FrDavid96]

…

Father, you said that in the novus ordo form, Good Friday is not a celebration in the sense of happy. Do you believe that it is a celebration in another way?

It’s both. (However, I’d also add that it’s not a cheerful, happy celebration in the usual everyday sense). Still, most of the joy should be reserved until the Easter Vigil. We need both; and we need both in its proper time.

My point was not to say “it’s not a celebration in any way” but rather to say “red does not represent celebration, instead red represents martyrdom.”

Black/Violet or Red; Funeral or Celebration: I respect all for what they believe Good Friday represents to them. For me, I think I made that clear.

As for the emotions I don’t see it as a choice to be made, but that we have all of those feelings. Good Friday should be mostly mourning and penance (along with, yes, certain joy at the gift of Christ), while reserving the fullness of joy for Easter. Again, we have all those emotions always, but we just have them in varying proportions, according to the occasion.

As for the vestments, the Church decides that.

I can’t (legitimately) wear black for Good Friday. Since I must wear red, I choose to wear red-with-black-trim.

 

[rondirect]

Father,

Thank you for the response. With regards to your description the days of the Triduum, I totally agree with you 100%. Yes, Good Friday, even as a celebration, is “not a cheerful, happy celebration in the usual everyday sense.” Perhaps I was not clear on that and just too strong on maintaining GF as a celebration, which to some would mean it’s time to party, just as much as some place it as a day of mourning only. Putting GF in the category of mourning, penance and a certain joy for the gift Christ did for us on the cross is the perfect description of emotions. I actually tell the ushers to keep the lights off for the 3 pm liturgy and I program just enough light for the Sanctuary. It maintains that mourning emotion, IMO.

Red, I agree, does not represent celebration when speaking of Passion, but as you say, martyrdom: the blood shed by Christ and other Saints and Martyrs; and, knowing that the color Red also represents fire for Pentecost, which is interesting since Pentecost is definitely a day of celebration and a Happy Birthday of the Church…maybe another discussion!

Father David, what bothers me the most is that I never hear priests explain this during Mass (Palm Sunday would be a prime time or the week before): that from HT through ES, we consider the Triduum as one great Celebration (yes, each day with different emotions) and why. So many do not know this or know when the Triduum begins and ends, just as much as so many are still in the dark regarding what the Immaculate Conception relates to!

Good discussion…thank you.