"Why is Purple the Liturgical Color of Lent?"

💜"Why is purple the Liturgical color of Lent?"💜

Mark 15:17-18, one account of Jesus' Passion, reads:

"They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. They began to salute him with, 'Hail, King of the Jews!'"

In 1st century Jewish and Roman culture, the dye used for the cloak that was placed on Jesus would have been called Tyrian Purple (similar to the color of the graphic of this post!)

This dye was created by crushing certain types of sea snails and was quite costly, usually only worn by people of power and prestige.

That being said, historians and theologians aren't quite certain how or why such an expensive cloak was used for Jesus. The soldiers most likely would have had to steal it from someone of a higher power simply for the purpose of mocking Jesus, as the cloth had a similar value to precious metals and was only worn by Kings and government officials

In addition to being the color of the cloak Jesus wore, purple also represents repentance and penance, because we remember it as the color Jesus wore as He carried His cross. It reminds us that, through even the most excruciating experience possible was not enough to keep down the King of the Universe. He's King even over death and sin itself, and thus, gives us the strength to turn away from sin and towards Him.

Fun fact: It was also referred to as "Tyrian Scarlet"... giving reason for the seemingly conflicting gospel accounts that the cloak was either purple or scarlet!

(Originally posted on The Little Apologist Instagram on 3/17/25)