Why did they change Good Friday's liturgical color?

[hamburglar]

There were several reasons adduced the main ones being:

• Regem Martyrum Dominum, red being (as you know) the colour for the blood shed by martyrs. A further reason is adduced by pointing to the Feasts of the Passion, all celebrated in red.
• the Holy Spirit working through the sacrifice of the martyrs (in chairty, etc.) has long been a reason adduced for the colour red on their feasts- this was also applied to the sacrifice of Christ on Good Friday on account of Hebrews (“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God”)
• a historical reason, red being predominant in many parts of Europe before the codification of the liturgy, and still maintained in certain local usages and rites (like the Ambrosian)
• the idea of red as royalty and the connection with the Triumph of the Cross. In a sense, the victorious aspect of the Passion being also emphasized with the sorrowful (a la Vexilla Regis or Pange lingua)

Thank you, just what I was looking for.

 

[beckers]

This is incorrect.

Black, while now rare, is still a permissible colour for Good Friday, Funeral Masses (Requiem Masses), and certain Votive Masses for the dead.

Unfortunately, while it’s permissible, it isn’t easy to find. Pope Pius XII was against removing the black vestments.

I actually prefer them.

I too was confused because i wore red thinking i was going to be matching the color of the vestments. I showed up and the vestments were black. Thought it was odd but i asked and was told the exact reason you gave. The Black vestments were actaully very nice for the service.

 

[crm114]

What happened with regard to black vestments is that in the 60/70s so many parishes disposed of their black vestments or “hid” them in obscure storage. This created the false impression that black vestments were somehow supressed. … Thankfully those days of “Vatican II says…” are coming to an end and we are finally beginning to truly understand what the Council did and did not say.

Yes, the same can be said of the suppression of Latin in the Novus Ordo, suppression of the TLM, abandonment of the pipe organ, replacement of high altars with the ironing board, removal of the communion rail, exile of the tabernacle, etc., etc., etc. None of these practices were called for by the Council, but all were widely, almost universally, imposed on the people by overly aggressive reformers and approved by self-appointed “liturgical consultants.”

By the way, our parish clergy have, and often use, beautiful black vestments. They were rescued from the dumpster at a large nearby Kumbaya parish.

 

[BSHoop96]

This is incorrect.

Black, while now rare, is still a permissible colour for Good Friday, Funeral Masses (Requiem Masses), and certain Votive Masses for the dead.

Unfortunately, while it’s permissible, it isn’t easy to find. Pope Pius XII was against removing the black vestments.

I actually prefer them.

Our priest has beautiful black vestments?? What about All Souls? I seem to remember them at that time or I am remembering wrong??

 

[Aramis]

***Black vestments are no longer used for any purpose.

White is for funeral Masses.***

Wrong, try again…

GIRM, 346 e:

e. Besides 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.

Black is still permitted for funeral masses.

Only Red is permitted for good friday in the US.
(also GIRM 346)
b. Red is used on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion and on Good Friday, on Pentecost Sunday, on celebrations of the Lord’s Passion, on the feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists, and on celebrations of Martyr Saints.

 

[malphono]

Black is still permitted for funeral masses.

Only Red is permitted for good friday in the US.

All true for the OF. Remember, though, that in the EF, black is still used for Good Friday and All Souls.

 

[lizaanne]

Here is a beautiful slide show of Good Friday at my parish: Te Deum laudamus! Our priests wore black.

You can see other slide shows of the rest of the Triduum at our parish HERE

God bless our holy priests!!

~Liza

 

[FrDavid96]

Our priest has beautiful black vestments?? What about All Souls? I seem to remember them at that time or I am remembering wrong??

Yes, black is a color for All Souls because on that day, the Masses are “Masses for the Dead.”