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The church year

Find a stole for the season ahead.

Choose your tradition. Each season below shows its dates, the colour each tradition names for it and the stoles made for it. Practice differs from church to church, so if a stole is a gift, check with the church.

Christ the King, Sunday 22 November 2026, closes the old year: the last Sunday before Advent, kept in white. The white stole

29 November to 24 December 2026

Stained-glass illustration: an Advent wreath of evergreen with three violet candles and one rose, one candle lit.

Advent

Four Sundays of waiting and preparation for the coming of Christ.

Roman Catholic
Violet or purple; rose on Gaudete Sunday where that is the practice
Episcopal
Purple or violet; some churches use blue
Lutheran
Blue or purple
Methodist
Purple or blue
  • Advent SundaySunday 29 November 2026 · Violet, purple or blue
  • Gaudete SundaySunday 13 December 2026 · Rose, where that is the practice; otherwise the Advent colour

Sources: The Roman Missal, General Instruction ch. VI, §§346 to 347 (USCCB); Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, Liturgical Colors & Seasons; Scottish Episcopal Church calendar; Nebraska Synod (ELCA), The Colors of the Church Year; UMC.org, Colors, liturgical.

The stoles

Purple stole$34.99Purple simple cross stole$29.99Advent Light stole$29.99

25 December 2026 to 10 January 2027

Stained-glass illustration: a bright star over the little town of Bethlehem at night.

Christmas

The birth of Christ: Christmas Day and the Epiphany, and in the Roman calendar on to the Baptism of the Lord.

Dates follow the Roman calendar. In the Episcopal Church and many other churches, Christmas is twelve days, to 5 January, and the Epiphany begins its own season.

Roman Catholic
White
Episcopal
White or gold
Lutheran
White
Methodist
White and gold
  • Christmas DayFriday 25 December 2026 · White or gold
  • The EpiphanyWednesday 6 January 2027 (kept on Sunday 3 January 2027 in Roman Catholic dioceses of the United States) · White
  • The Baptism of the LordSunday 10 January 2027 · White

Sources: The Roman Missal, General Instruction ch. VI, §§346 to 347 (USCCB); Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, Liturgical Colors & Seasons; Nebraska Synod (ELCA), The Colors of the Church Year; UMC.org, Colors, liturgical.

The stoles

White stole$34.99White simple cross stole$29.99

11 January to 9 February 2027

Stained-glass illustration: a broad green tree on a hill above golden wheat, under a gold sun.

After the Epiphany

The Sundays after the Epiphany: growth in faith through the ordinary weeks.

Roman Catholic
Green
Episcopal
Green
Lutheran
Green; white on the Transfiguration, the last Sunday after the Epiphany
Methodist
Green; white on the first and last Sundays after the Epiphany
  • The last Sunday after the EpiphanySunday 7 February 2027 · White in Methodist and Lutheran use, where it is kept as the Transfiguration: the white stole

Sources: The Roman Missal, General Instruction ch. VI, §§346 to 347 (USCCB); Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, Liturgical Colors & Seasons; Nebraska Synod (ELCA), The Colors of the Church Year; UMC.org, Colors, liturgical.

The stoles

Green stole$34.99Green simple cross stole$29.99Tree of Life stole$29.99

10 February to 27 March 2027

Stained-glass illustration: a plain wooden cross on a hill at dusk, two palm fronds at its foot.

Lent and Holy Week

Forty days of repentance and return from Ash Wednesday. Its last week, Holy Week, runs from Palm Sunday through Good Friday to the Easter Vigil.

In the Roman calendar Lent ends before the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, 25 March 2027, and the Easter Triduum follows.

Roman Catholic
Violet or purple; rose on Laetare Sunday where that is the practice; red on Palm Sunday and Good Friday; white at the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper
Episcopal
Purple or violet, or the unbleached Lenten array; red through Holy Week, except at Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday
Lutheran
Purple; in ELCA guidance, scarlet or purple from Palm Sunday through Wednesday of Holy Week, scarlet or white on Maundy Thursday; in the Missouri Synod, black on Good Friday, and on Ash Wednesday as an alternative to violet
Methodist
Purple
  • Ash WednesdayWednesday 10 February 2027 · Violet or purple; black in the Missouri Synod
  • Laetare SundaySunday 7 March 2027 · Rose, where that is the practice; otherwise the Lent colour
  • Palm SundaySunday 21 March 2027 · Red in the Roman rite and in Episcopal use; scarlet or purple in the ELCA
  • Good FridayFriday 26 March 2027 · Red in the Roman rite and in Episcopal use; black in the Missouri Synod

Sources: The Roman Missal, General Instruction ch. VI, §§346 to 347 (USCCB); Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, Liturgical Colors & Seasons; Scottish Episcopal Church calendar; Nebraska Synod (ELCA), The Colors of the Church Year; ELCA Worship blog, the colours of Holy Week; Concordia Publishing House, A Simple Guide to Liturgical Colors; UMC.org, Colors, liturgical.

The stoles

Purple stole$34.99Purple simple cross stole$29.99Red stole$34.99Red simple cross stole$29.99Black stole$34.99

28 March to 16 May 2027

Stained-glass illustration: the empty tomb at sunrise, its stone rolled away, white lilies in front.

Easter

Fifty days of resurrection joy, from Easter Day to the Day of Pentecost, its fiftieth day, which is red.

Roman Catholic
White
Episcopal
White or gold
Lutheran
White
Methodist
White and gold; red on the Day of Pentecost
  • Easter DaySunday 28 March 2027 · White or gold
  • The Day of PentecostSunday 16 May 2027 · Red

Sources: The Roman Missal, General Instruction ch. VI, §§346 to 347 (USCCB); Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, Liturgical Colors & Seasons; Nebraska Synod (ELCA), The Colors of the Church Year; UMC.org, Colors, liturgical.

The stoles

White stole$34.99White simple cross stole$29.99

Sunday 16 May 2027

Stained-glass illustration: a white dove descending over red and gold flames.

The Day of Pentecost

The fiftieth day of Easter: the Holy Spirit comes on the apostles as tongues of fire (Acts 2:3).

Roman Catholic
Red
Episcopal
Red
Lutheran
Red
Methodist
Red
  • The Day of PentecostSunday 16 May 2027 · Red

Sources: The Roman Missal, General Instruction ch. VI, §§346 to 347 (USCCB); Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, Liturgical Colors & Seasons; Nebraska Synod (ELCA), The Colors of the Church Year; UMC.org, Colors, liturgical.

The stoles

Red stole$34.99Red simple cross stole$29.99Spirit and Flame stole$29.99

17 May to 27 November 2027

Stained-glass illustration: a broad green tree on a hill above golden wheat, under a gold sun.

After Pentecost

The long green season of growth: most Sundays of the year.

Roman Catholic
Green; white on Trinity Sunday and Christ the King
Episcopal
Green; white on Trinity Sunday
Lutheran
Green; red on Reformation Day
Methodist
Green; white on the first and last Sundays after Pentecost, and on All Saints
  • Trinity SundaySunday 23 May 2027 · White: the white stole
  • Reformation DaySunday 31 October 2027 · Red, in Lutheran churches: the red stole
  • All Saints' DayMonday 1 November 2027 · White: the white stole
  • All Souls' DayTuesday 2 November 2027 · Violet or black; white is also worn
  • Christ the KingSunday 21 November 2027 · White: the white stole

Sources: The Roman Missal, General Instruction ch. VI, §§346 to 347 (USCCB); Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, Liturgical Colors & Seasons; Nebraska Synod (ELCA), The Colors of the Church Year; UMC.org, Colors, liturgical.

The stoles

Green stole$34.99Green simple cross stole$29.99Tree of Life stole$29.99

In full

Tradition by tradition.

The traditions do not agree with one another, so each is set out on its own. Open one to read it.

Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic, following the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §§346 to 347, as published for the United States.
WhiteThe Easter and Christmas seasons. Celebrations of the Lord other than of his Passion. Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the angels, and of saints who were not martyrs.
RedPalm Sunday. Good Friday. Pentecost. Celebrations of the Lord's Passion. Most feasts of the apostles and evangelists, and celebrations of martyrs.
GreenOrdinary Time.
Violet or purpleAdvent and Lent. May also be used in Offices and Masses for the Dead.
BlackMay be used for Masses for the Dead.
RoseGaudete Sunday, the third of Advent, and Laetare Sunday, the fourth of Lent, where that is the practice.
Gold or silverMay be worn on more solemn occasions.

Source: USCCB, GIRM Chapter VI.

Anglican and Episcopal
Anglican and Episcopal use.
White or goldThe Christmas and Easter seasons. Principal Feasts except Pentecost. Feasts of Our Lord. Saints who were not martyrs. Marriages and funerals.
Purple or violetAdvent and Lent, the penitential seasons.
BlueUsed in Advent by some churches instead of violet. Its historical basis is disputed.
Lenten arrayUnbleached linen with crimson orphreys, an accepted alternative to violet in Lent.
RedHoly Week, except at Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday. The Day of Pentecost. Most feasts of apostles and evangelists, and martyrs. And ordinations.
GreenThe season after Epiphany and the season after Pentecost.
RoseGaudete and Laetare Sundays.
BlackAll Souls' Day and funerals, where violet or white are not used.

Sources: Episcopal Diocese of Ohio; Scottish Episcopal Church calendar; Anglican Compass. The altar is stripped after the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday, and the church stays bare until the Easter Vigil.

Methodist
United Methodist use.
PurpleAdvent and Lent, a colour of both penitence and royalty. Blue, a colour of hope, may also be used during Advent.
White and goldThe Christmas and Easter seasons except the Day of Pentecost, and festive days such as Baptism of the Lord, Transfiguration, Trinity, All Saints and Christ the King.
RedThe Day of Pentecost, and other times when the work of the Holy Spirit is emphasised.
GreenOrdinary Time.

Source: UMC.org, Colors, liturgical.

Lutheran
Lutheran use, ELCA.
Blue or purpleAdvent. Blue suggests hope, an association that began in Scandinavia. Some assemblies use purple.
PurpleLent.
WhiteChristmas, calling to mind the purity of the newborn Christ. Easter.
RedPentecost, Reformation Day and special occasions.
GreenThe time after Epiphany and the time after Pentecost.

Source: Nebraska Synod, The Colors of the Church Year. In the Missouri Synod, the Lutheran Service Book adds black: Good Friday, and Ash Wednesday as an alternative to violet. Source: Concordia Publishing House, A Simple Guide to Liturgical Colors.

Where the traditions part

The five differences worth knowing.

Advent

Violet or purple in the Roman rite, with rose on Gaudete Sunday where that is the custom. Purple or violet in Episcopal use, with blue in some churches. Blue or purple for Lutherans, with blue prominent. Purple or blue for Methodists. Purple is not simply "the Advent colour".

Lent

Violet or purple in the Roman rite. Purple or violet, or the unbleached Lenten array, in Episcopal use. Purple for Lutherans and Methodists.

Holy Week

Red in Episcopal use, except at Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday. In the Roman rite, red on Palm Sunday and Good Friday. In the Missouri Synod, black on Good Friday.

Ordination

Red is the traditional colour in the Episcopal Church and many Anglican churches; some churches use white. Ask the ordinand or the church before you choose.

Green

The closest the four traditions come to agreement: green through Ordinary Time, unless a feast day sets another colour.