Colors of the Christian Church Year

Also see "Changing colors for the Christian Year" (GBOD)

Colors		Season	Alternate color*
Royal Blue	Purple	1st, 2nd Wk of Advent	Blue
Royal Blue	Purple	3rd Wk of Advent	Pink	Rose
Royal Blue	Purple	4th Wk of Advent	Blue
White	Gold	Christmas Eve	Blue
White	Gold	Christmastide	Yellow
White	Gold	Epiphany	Yellow
White		1st Sunday after Epiphany - Baptism of the Lord	Lt. Green
Green		After Epiphany	Lt. Green
White	Gold	Transfiguration	Yellow
Purple		Ash Wed/Lent	Violet
Purple		Passion/Palm Sunday	Red
Purple		Maundy Thursday	Red
-- No color --		Good Friday	Purple	Black
-- No color --		Holy Saturday	Black
White	Gold	Easter	Yellow
White	Gold	Eastertide	Red
White	Gold	Ascension Day	Yellow
White	Gold	Eastertide	Red
Red		Pentecost Sunday	Gold
White		Trinity Sunday	Red	Gold
Green		Kingdomtide	Lt. Green	Bronze
Green		Kingdomtide	Aqua	Olive
White		All Saints Day	Red	Gold
Green		Kingdomtide	Lt. Green	Bronze
Green		Kingdomtide	Aqua	Olive
White		Christ the King	Gold	Yellow
Red	White	Thanksgiving	-
Green		Kingdomtide	Lt. Green	Bronze
Green		Kingdomtide	Aqua	Olive

*Some churches are adopting alternate, mostly lighter color schemes (blue instead of Royal blue, yellow instead of Gold, violet instead of purple, light green instead of green, and so forth). The "Alternate colors" column reflects newer color schemes. The "Colors" column reflects the colors listed in the 2003 Official United Methodist Program Calendar.

Also note that many churches use a pink or rose colored candle on the 3rd Sunday in Advent. So some churches also change the colors to pink or rose for that day.

Colors of the Church Year and Seasonal Dates

Colors of the Church Year
and Seasonal Dates