Liturgical colors for feast days

[Toni]

I was at Mass today celebrated by the Jesuit’s and this is the second time I have seen the Priest in a yellow stole, with a white vestment. I have never heard of yellow being a liturgical color. Does anyone know what yellow stands for. On the feast day of a martyr!!

 

[LilyOfTheFather]

Yellow is not a liturgical colour…

 

[_veritas]

Yellow is not a liturgical color as far as I know, but I also have seen some decorative white vestments that have yellow embrodiory (particularly used by Hispanic priests, or priests from India).

From what I have seen (which may not be correct…) the white chasuble is the “color” vestment, and the embroidery on the chasuble is not meant to be the liturgical color. Same goes for the stole, which should be worn under the chasuble during Mass.

Now, a stole or a chasuble that is *all *yellow would be a problem I think… (The stole itself may not be as big a deal if it is during Mass and under a correct colored chasuble–not sure) But if the primary color for the vestments is white with yellow highlights, that may be ok.

+veritas+

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Toni:

I was at Mass today celebrated by the Jesuit’s and this is the second time I have seen the Priest in a yellow stole, with a white vestment. I have never heard of yellow being a liturgical color. Does anyone know what yellow stands for. On the feast day of a martyr!!

Could it have been Gold? However the number of days Gold can be used I believe is very limited.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Gold can be used anytime white can be used.

We have to be careful that we don’t confuse “liturgical colors” with “festive colors.” There is a directive that is being modified that allows the priest to wear “festive colors” – which are not necessarily liturgical.

Being bi-ritual I deal with the liturgical colors in the West and the color selections used in the East (green for Pentecost, light colors (usually gold, white or blue) for the majority of the year and dark colors (red or purple) for the penitential cycles.

Deacon Ed

 

[Servulus]

With regard to the color of vestments, the GIRM says:

"346 Traditional usage should be retained for the vestment colors.
a) White is used in the offices and Masses during the seasons of Easter and Christmas; also on celebrations of the Lord, other than of his passion; on celebrations of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels, saints who were not martyrs; on the solemnity of All Saints (1 November); the feasts of the Birth of John the Baptist (24 June), John, apostle, evangelist (27 December), the Chair of Peter (22 February), and the Conversion of Paul (25 January).

b) Red is used on Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday) and Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, celebrations of the Lord’s passion, birthday feasts of the apostles and evangelists, and celebrations of martyrs.

c) Green is used in the offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.

d) Violet is used in Advent and Lent. It may also be worn in offices and Masses for the dead.

e) Black may be used, where it is the custom, in Masses for the dead. f) Rose may be used, where it is the custom, on Guadete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent).

However, as regards liturgical colors, the Conference of Bishops may define and propose to the Holy See adaptations which respond to the needs and genius of the peoples. "

The only reference to vestment color in the approved adaptations for the U.S. says:

"**COLOR OF SACRED VESTMENTS
**This adaptation will be inserted at number 346:

e) Violet, white, or black vestments may be worn at funeral services and at other offices and Masses for the dead in the dioceses of the United States of America;
h) Gold or silver colored vestments may be worn on more solemn occasions in the dioceses of the United States of America."

Yellow does not appear to be at all approved as a vestment color for liturgical celebrations.

Hope that helps.

 

[Toni]

It’s rather humerous because I do teach religion from K through 5th grade and the children from k on up know the liturgical colors feasts and what color for what feast. I am serious it was a white Jesuit Priest wearing a yellow stole and a white vestment on the feast today of St. Teresa Bendicta other wise known as Edith Stein. The odd thing is it is a reversible stole you can see the underside it red, but this is the second or third time that I have seen this yellow stole. Now being a private little chapel where the public is simply invited how do you politely ask this priest if he just forgot to flip the vestment over to the red side. He spoke quite a bit about our new little St. Teresa Benedicta??

 

[deogratias]

Being bi-ritual I

.

Hey how does that work? I thought you had to be one or the other and had to have the Bishops permission to change rites? Are you a Deacon in both rites?

 

[Toni]

Update: Today I had the opportunity to speak with one of the other older Jesuit Priests.
So I questioned him about this yellow and he assured me that it is gold. I told him some of my students go there for daily Mass and yellow or gold is not a color liturgically that has been taught.
But thank you for the update on gold.
This priest who always comes up the center altar with his walker today came in through the sacristy door and lo and behold for the feast of St Lawerence today a martyr the stole was turned around to the red side.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

deogratias:

.

Hey how does that work? I thought you had to be one or the other and had to have the Bishops permission to change rites? Are you a Deacon in both rites?

By birth I am a Latin Rite Catholic. By virtue of permission of my Latin Bishop (Bishop Tod David Brown) and my Melkite Eparch (Bishop JOHN (Elya)) I am permitted to function as a Melkite deacon. Yes, I am a deacon in both the Latin and Byzantine Rites. And it takes permission from both bishops, not one or the other.

Interestingly enough, I earned my doctorate at an Orthodox seminary since I was to have this assignment. All our Melkite priests who go to the seminary in the United States spend part of their formation at Holy Cross Orthodox Seminary in Boston, but since I live in California and have a wife and family that was out of the question.

Deacon Ed