Reposted from my congregation's December newsletter, The Steeple Light
What is the “proper” color of Advent – blue or purple? Purple was the long-standing color used by Lutheran congregations, as well as other liturgical churches, through most of the 20th century. The purple of Advent and of Lent served two purposes – emphasizing the royalty of Christ, as kings in western culture over the centuries were often adorned with purple garments. Furthermore, purple has a penitential nature to it, inviting introspection and repentance on behalf of the believer.
Indeed, the connection of Lent – with its pilgrimage to the suffering of the cross – with penitential acts is pretty easy to make. As we reflect on the sin of the world that nailed our Lord to the cross, we also confess our own sin and seek to live more faithful lives.
But penitence in Advent, in preparation for Christ’s birth? Absolutely. For as we prepare to see Christ face to face, in the Christmas incarnation and in his promised return to earth, we anticipate both joy and judgment. Joy, for in coming to us God is bridging the gap that separates humanity from its Creator. But judgment, too, for in coming to us God will confront our sin and brokenness, and pass judgment on the degree to which humanity has been unfaithful to God’s commands and vision for human community.
That’s a pretty good case for a purple Advent, don’t you think?
Well, blue has a pretty good case to make, too. In the late 20th century, some churches began to use blue for Advent, while retaining purple for Lent. Why?
I can’t give you the historical details – what great church councils or scholars or congregations first began the shift. But I can tell you that blue offers us a different shade, so to speak, of Advent. If the purple of earlier years resonates with the penitential nature of the season and draws certain parallels to Lent, the deep blue of Advent highlights the expectant nature of the season, and of our faith.
Deep blue is the color of the clear, predawn sky, the color that covers the earth in the hours before the sun rises in the east. Most of us are not looking at the sky at that hour – perhaps we’re still asleep, or too weary to notice it as we get onto the Metro or hop into our car for a long commute. Nonetheless, a deep, dark blue is the color that covers us in the dark, cold hours before the sun dawns.
Thus we use deep blue for Advent to shade the season with a hint of expectation and anticipation of the dawn of Christ. Surely penitence and spiritual discipline is part of the traditional Advent observance, and this is why so many of you are using Advent wreaths and our congregation’s Advent devotional to mark the days of Advent. Advent is a time to recommit to our faith and to our God – no matter the color! But Advent involves more than penitence, and by using deep blue we err on the side of emphasizing the church’s hope-filled and faithful watch for Christ. The deep blue of Advent is meant to inspire in us the hope of faith, and to encourage us to keep watch for the promised light of Christ to break over the horizon, changing night into day, darkness into light, and filling our lives and our world with a holy and righteous splendor.
No matter your color preference, I hope and pray that you will find this season to be shaded by both the purple and the blue, by the reflective self-examination suggested by the penitential purple, and by the hopeful anticipation suggested by the predawn blue … for both colors call us to lives of faithfulness in this time before the coming of our Lord.
The Lutheran Zephyr 
How about a liturgical design using both colors. Perhaps purple at the bottom, shading to deep blue at the top. Wheels are turning here, since I design and make stoles. Haven’t done the altar cloths yet, but why not? http://sewladysew.blogspot.com/search/label/Liturgical%20art
Our church has it covered. We have purple paraments that have been in the church for years, but I wear a blue stole. You can probably guess what the item for debate is….what color candle on the Advent wreath? Always something…..
Our church has it covered. We have purple paraments that have been in the church for years, but I wear a blue stole. You can probably guess what the item for debate is….what color candle on the Advent wreath? It’s always something.
On my first trip to visit Art Studio Slabbinck, I was introduced to the family’s collection of antique vestments. In pride of place is a chasuble pre-dating the Council of Trent, in light blue satin with ornate gold embroideries. Cool. This color blue is now connected (in the Catholic church) with the Virgin Mary.
I serve two churches. One has blue paraments, the other uses purple. Best of both worlds.
Interesting! The Advent colours are actually blue & whiite. Thiis iis for Mary! Blue iis the colour used for truth & who needed to be more remembered as a teller of truth than Mary who made the astounding claim that she was a viirgin. White signifies purity & reminds us that Mary found favour with God. Mary is often depicted in a bluue robe holdiing a white lily to signify truth & purity. Our womenès group, St. Ceceilia;s. advvemt tea coloouurs are blue & white. St. Cecilia dates back to the 1st century. So Advent is Mary’s time of 9th month pregnancy, hardship travelling to Bethlehem, pregnant with hope, expectation, love, and faith.
Blue is indeed for Mary, which is why liturgical law prohibits its use on any festival other than the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The focus of Advent is supposed to be on the coming of Jesus, not on Mary herself (she has her own separate feast days), therefore the purple at Advent to represent the royalty of the newborn King. The Lutheran Church, being a Catholic Church, is technically supposed to follow those guidelines, but many – including my church- have broken away and started their own traditions. I’m 100% in favor of combining the colors as one of the other posters suggested – the florist who makes our Advent wreath didn’t have any blue candles in stock so we’re using purple candles this year along with the blue stole and paraments, I would love to see that continue in the future!
Blue and white are also traditionally David’s colors, so this also hearkens back to Bethlehem and Christ being of the line of David. The idea of blue originally came from Toledo, Spain from what I’ve been told, though I can’t seem to find this verified and I have no date for when this occurred. The church at Toledo used blue to accent the difference between Lent and Advent and also symbolize hope. From what I’d heard originally, I believe that the colors being for Mary was not as much of a consideration as was the association with David in Toledo.