Butler County church leaders share meaning of colored robes for Lent, Easter seasons
Typically, the Rev. David Phillips, of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Butler, and the Rev. Jim Kurtz, of the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Cabot, are seen wearing green robes, but recently, both have been donning purple when leading services at their Butler County churches.
Lutheran and Catholic Church leaders across Butler County have worn purple throughout Lent — a 40-day period of prayer, fasting and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and continues through Holy Thursday — but on Friday, the purple robes are put away for the season.
Only one day of the year will Lutheran pastors wear all-black attire, said the Rev. Phillips, the senior pastor at St. Mark’s. Fittingly, that day is Good Friday, the day of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and death.
Catholic priests instead wear the color red on Good Friday, and on Palm Sunday, said Deacon Mitch Natali of the All Saints Parish, which includes St. Andrew, St. Conrad, St. Michael, St. Paul and St. Peter churches.
“Our colors are red because of the passion of Christ,” Deacon Natali said. “It’s also for the fire of the Holy Spirit, but it’s also for the apostles who were martyrs, and anybody else who shed their blood for the faith.”
After Good Friday, the robes at Lutheran and Catholic Churches will switch to white for the Easter season, which lasts until the Day of the Pentecost, which occurs 50 days after Easter. This year, it falls on May 19.
“The white symbolizes joy and the institution of the Eucharist,” said Kurtz.
In addition to Easter season, the white robes also come out for the Christmas season. Prior to Christmas, blue is the color of the Advent season — at least for the Lutheran church. For the Catholic Church, the robes are purple for Advent just as they are for Lent.
“Purple symbolizes penance, sacrifice and also preparation for the season, those three things together,” Kurtz said.
Phillips noted that some Lutheran churches wear purple during Advent, too.
“We use blue,” he said. “Blue has become the standard color for Advent, and purple is the color for Lent and Holy Week, except for Good Friday.”
There are, however, exceptions to the rules.
Natali noted rose-colored vestments are worn in the Catholic Church during a Sunday in Lent and a Sunday in Advent.
“That’s for the celebration and joy and reflection during those times,” he said.
“That symbolizes the halfway point of Lent, and it’s for looking forward to the joy of Easter,” said Kurtz. “So we have that variation on the fourth Sunday.”
When the Easter season concludes, red garments will be worn for the Day of Pentecost, which celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit. Lutheran pastors also wear red for Reformation Day, which celebrates the day when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the All Saints’ Church in 1517.
After that, green makes a return. Kurtz and Phillips said they spend roughly half of the church year in green.
Catholic and Lutheran leaders will be seen in green robes during the period called ordinary time. The color symbolizes life, hope, and anticipation.
When they are wearing something other than green, it typically means that a special event in the church calendar is taking place.
