Churches have used stained glass for centuries, offering a beautiful way to showcase the teachings of the Bible and important biblical figures. Historical church stained glass can be found around the world, offering beauty, inspiration, and sentiment. Did you know that the colors depicted in these historical stained glass features actually have meaning behind them? Churches offer significant symbolism that’s depicted by the colors that they choose for their stained-glass features.
Church Stained Glass Color Symbolism and Meaning
- Red: Often symbolizing the blood of Christ, red can also indicate strong emotions of hate or love. Red is meant to remind the congregation of Jesus’ sacrifice and suffering.
- Blue: Since blue is the color of the sky, it’s used to symbolize heaven, hope, piety, and sincerity. It’s also associated with the Virgin Mary.
- Green: As the color of nature, green indicates rebirth, growth, and spring. Green depicts life over death, offering a symbol of immortality, faith, and contemplation.
- Violet: Often used to symbolize truth, passion, love, and suffering.
- White: Represents purity, innocence, chastity, and can be associated with God.
- Black: Black is very rare in church stained glass but is representative of regeneration and death.
- Yellow: Yellow is more commonly used for halos of saints and the Gates of Heaven, showcasing power, glory, and divinity.
- Purple: Since it is believed that Jesus wore purple before his crucifixion, it is used to symbolize endurance and suffering.
- Gray: Usually a symbol of mourning and humility, it can also be used for representing the immortality of the spirit.
- Brown: Brown symbolizes the renunciation of worldly things along with spiritual death.
- Rainbow: Rainbow colors are used to show unity as well as God’s covenant with humanity.
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