“Gracia” was dismayed to see the parish priest wearing pink while celebrating Sunday Mass. She said a priest should be neutral and not openly declare himself a “kakampink” (literally, pro-pink), a supporter of then presidential candidate Leni Robredo. Pink was then the campaign color of choice of Robredo and her supporters.

Was the parish priest a “kakampink”? Maybe yes, maybe no. What is certain is that on that Sunday, March 22, 2022, most if not all of the priests in the Philippines and the rest of the world were wearing pink. It was then the fourth Sunday of Lent (March 30 this year), which the Catholic Church celebrates as Laetare Sunday.

“Laetare” is the Latin word for “joy” or “rejoice.” On Laetare Sunday, the Church expresses joy and hope during the austere period of Lent which calls for fasting, reflection, repentance and penance. Although optional, the tradition of using the color pink or rose to indicate this message of joy dates back to the 11th century.

Heart of the faith 

Speaking ahead of the noon Marian prayer of the Angelus in March 2021, Pope Francis reflected on why the fourth Sunday of Lent has such a joyful focus. He said the reason can be found in the Gospel: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

“This joyful message is the heart of the Christian faith,” the Pope said. “God’s love found its summit in the gift of his Son to a weak and sinful humanity.” 

The doctrine of the Incarnation, which states that God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and that He is fully human and fully divine, is a central dogma of the Christian faith.

This belief is particularly stated in the Nicene Creed: “I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father, through Him all things were made.”

The joyful message of God’s love making a way for believers through Jesus is a break from the somber period of Lent, when priests wear purple. 

Colors and seasons

In the Catholic liturgical norms, the use of pink, purple, or another color is neither random nor according to a priest’s like or dislike, favorite color, or available vestment. Specific vestment colors are designated for different feasts or celebrations.

Writing in EWTN Global Catholic Network, Fr. William Saunders says there are two reasons for the use of certain colors. “First, the colors highlight the particular liturgical season and the faithful’s journey through these seasons,” he says. “Second, the colors punctuate the season by highlighting a particular event or particular mystery of faith.”

There are six seasons in the Church’s liturgical calendar: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Sacred Paschal Triduum, Easter and Ordinary Time.

Purple is the color to signify penance and sacrifice during the four-week Advent season to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Purple is also worn by priests during the six-week period of Lent before Easter.

The Sacred Paschal Triduum, the most solemn period in the liturgical year, commemorates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. It starts from the evening of Holy Thursday and ends on Holy Saturday. The colors used are red and white.   

White is worn during the Holy Thursday Mass, which commemorates the Last Supper and institution of the Eucharist (Holy Mass). Red is worn during Good Friday, which commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus. During the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday, which marks the end of Lent and the start of Eastertide or the Easter Season, priests wear white or gold as a symbol of purity and to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. 

During Ordinary Time (or the time before or after the seasons of Christmas, Lent, Easter and Advent), priests wear green, which represents life, growth and hope. It is divided into two periods: the first being the four to eight weeks from Christmas to Lent, and the second, from Easter to Advent. It is the time when the faithful learn about Jesus’ teachings, life and work. 

But the wearing of white is not limited to the periods of Christmas and Easter. White vestments are also used for the feasts of Jesus (except those referring to His passion), such as the Baptism of the Lord, Corpus Christi, Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ascension of the Lord, and Solemnity of Christ the King. 

Priests also wear white when they celebrate the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, such as the Feast of the Visitation of Mary, Solemnity of Mary’s Assumption, and Immaculate Conception. White is likewise worn to honor the angels, the saints who were not martyrs, the Solemnity of St. Joseph, and the Feasts of All Saints, St. John the Baptist, St. John the Evangelist, the Chair of St. Peter, and the Conversion of St. Paul. 

Red is another color used in liturgical celebrations. It is a symbol of God’s love and fire, the believers’ sacrifice, and their shedding of blood. It is used during Palm Sunday (when Jesus entered Jerusalem to prepare for His death), Good Friday, any other commemoration of Jesus’ passion, the Mass of the Precious Blood, the Feast of the Pentecost, the days marking the martyrdom of the apostles (except St. John), and the feasts of other martyrs who offered their lives for the faith. 

Priests wear red when they celebrate Mass on Sept. 28, the Feast Day of the Filipino martyr St. Lorenzo Ruiz.

Pink Sundays

Pink is the least used color in the liturgical calendar. Aside from the fourth Sunday of Lent or Laetare Sunday, the only other time priests use it is the third Sunday of Advent or Gaudete Sunday. (“Gaudete” is another Latin word for “rejoice.”) 

The pink Sundays serve as a pause from the faithful’s sacrifices and repentance during the somber seasons of Advent and Lent when purple is worn. During the purple period, the singing or saying of the Gloria (“Glory to God in the highest”), the singing or saying of the Alleluia before the Gospel, decorating the altar with flowers, among others, are not allowed. 

During Laetare Sunday, however, these no-nos are tossed out. The faithful can sing of joy and hope, sing the Alleluia before hearing the Gospel, and be reminded of the glory of God. 

So when priests wear pink, are they making a political statement?

Maybe. But based on the Church norms, the answer is a definite no. When priests wear pink, they are making a statement of faith and hope. On Gaudete Sunday, the message is: Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Merry Christmas! And on Laetare Sunday, the message is: Christ is risen. Alleluia!

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