Purple was anciently employed in religious worship both by Jews and Gentiles. So early as in the Book of Judges (viii. 26), we read of it as forming the attire of kings; and many texts of Holy Scripture might be adduced shewing it to be almost exclusively devoted to royalty. We read, in the Cyclopædia already quoted, that Pliny records a similar use of it among the Romans; and Homer speaks of purple as if it were almost peculiar to kings. Suetonius relates that Julius Cæsar prohibited its use by Roman subjects, except on certain days, and that Nero forbade it altogether, on pain of death.
Purple (violet, or amethyst) signifies, therefore, first, royalty. It was also the ancient symbol of love and truth, or passion and suffering; "hence it was the colour often worn by the martyrs: in the Spanish schools, the colour of our Saviour's mantle is generally a rich deep violet". In some instances, our Saviour, after His resurrection, is habited in a violet instead of a blue mantle. This would, doubtless, refer to its royal, victorious signification. The Blessed Virgin is represented in "violet, after the crucifixion"—of course in token of deepest mourning. "Mary Magdalene, who, as patron saint, wears the red robe, as penitent wears violet and blue, the colours of sorrow and constancy."
We may now easily understand why purple has been accepted as the Church's mourning colour. Although so beautiful when represented in the clearness of stained glass, purple is but little used in large illuminations, excepting sometimes as a ground-colour; chiefly, perhaps, because so difficult to produce in a sufficiently bright, pure tint, as compared to the red and blue.
White.
White is essentially the emblem of light and saintly purity. Of the first, because the finest light is white; of the second, I need hardly quote the reason,—| Rev. xix. 8.| "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints."
Typical, also, of forgiveness: |Isa. i. 18.| "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."| Ps. li. 7.| "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."
Eccles. ix. 8.
The symbol also of wisdom, innocence, faith, joy, integrity, humility: of glory, perfection, and regeneration; for white contains all colours. Solomon says, "Let your garments be always white."
Thus I have enumerated the colours more especially devoted to the Church.
Emerald Green.