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Vestment colours are used to represent the mood of the Mass being celebrated.

There are four standard vestment colours:

Violet		Represents expectation, purification or Penance. Used during Lent and Advent.
White (or Gold)		Represents joy and triumph. Used during the Paschal Triduum, Easter and Christmas, as well as for Holy Days and Feast Days throughout the year.
Red		Represents royalty, fire and martyrdom. Used on special Feast Days and Holy Days throughout the year.
Green		A sign of life and growth. Represents Ordinary Time.

Other colours may be substituted where traditionally appropriate. Some typical examples are Black, used for funerals, and Pink, used on the third Sunday of Advent.