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THE SYMBOLISM OF
THE COLOURS
Each colour had its particular meaning. They have been
always given exciting or calming effects; good or bad
influence...
Four
colours for four elements:
blue-air;
brown-earth;
green-water;
red-fire.
White,
red,
green,
and blue
are benign and transmit happiness;
black,
yellow,
Violet
are sad colours and bring penitency and pain.
WHITE,
it symbolizes light and eternity. The Old man that
appears in Daniel’s and Saint John’s visions and whose
hair rivals in whiteness with the purest wool, wears.
White clothes as white as snow.In Church,white is the
colour of the Pope’s clothes and the priests’ albs.It
represents purity and virginity and so it’s used by
those who receives first communion,the young married
couples and the catechumen.
RED,
it’s the colour of fire and blood. The colour of Ares,
god of the war, for the Greek. It is the enblem of the
Holy love, of Saint John, of the martyrs that are
soldiers of Christ, of the Innocents. This colour was
used by the cardinals as soldiers of the Pope. It was in
1295 when Bonifacio VIII gave them the privilege of
wearing red clothes as a symbol of his braveness against
some kings like Philip IV of France.
GREEN,
it’s the colour of spring.It symbolizes hope and love.
BLUE,
it owes calming virtues. it’s the colour of the Virgin´s
cloak
BLACK,
it’s the colour of the spirit of Evil,of hopelessness
and unhappiness.
YELLOW,
it’s the colour of envy.It’s the symbol of Judas’s
traition and of the Jews, who were obliged to wear a
yellow circle, sticked to their clothes, and a pointed
bonnet in the Middle Ages. In Britain this was the
colour of mourning.
VIOLET,
it’s the symbol of grief. It’s the colour of the priests’
clothes and of the veils with which the statues are
covered during Easter. It’s the colour for penance.
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