Lenten Campaign 2025
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The Catholic Church has a rich set of traditions that vary according to each culture, and while the Roman Rite is the most popular, it is not the only expression of Catholicism.
This can be seen in the variety of traditions surrounding the season of Lent.
In the Roman Rite, violet is worn nearly every day of Lent, including Sundays. This is due in part to the symbolism that Roman Rite Christians attached to the color violet.
Dark colors of penance
When the Roman soldiers mocked Jesus before his crucifixion, they “clothed him in a purple cloak, and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on him” (Mark 15:17). Then Pilate showed Jesus to the crowd, saying, “what shall I do with the man whom you call the King of the Jews?” (Mark 15:12).
From this horrific scene, purple became associated with Jesus’ Passion and death. Christians then saw purple (and violet) as a reminder of Jesus’ Passion, with the color itself a call to repentance for sin.
It is also for this reason that many Eastern Catholics do not use violet or purple on Sunday. In their traditions, Sunday is always a day to rejoice, as it is the day that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.
Bright colors of celebration
Deacon John Harden offers this brief explanation in an article for Ascension:
When it comes to liturgical colors we generally follow one basic rule: bright colors for days of celebration, dark colors for fasts and funerals. Similar to Roman Catholics, violet is often the color of choice on the weekdays of Lent; red is also used. Interestingly, bright colors like white and gold are used on Sunday, not dark colors, because Sunday is always a celebration of Christ’s resurrection, even during Lent!
This emphasis on the resurrection of Jesus on Sundays also means that the Alleluia is maintained even during Lent.
Sunday is a joyful day and is a promise of the future resurrection to come. It never loses this spiritual theme in Eastern Churches.
This doesn't mean that Eastern Catholics avoid all fasting and penance during Great Lent. In fact, in many ways the rules for fasting in Eastern Churches are even more arduous and strict than those of Roman Catholics.
It should be pointed out that even Roman Catholics don't "count" Sundays in the Lenten fast. The priest may wear violet, but Sundays are not technically included in the 40 days of Lent.
Neither tradition is "wrong" and both are accepted as valid in the Catholic Church. It is simply another expression within the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.
