It was after almost 20 months Anna and I went to a worship service on a Sunday! The freedom from the imposed restrictions from the COVID pandemic is now behind us!
The altar at the sanctuary had purple coloured decor. The colour of the table cloth and the attire of the presbyter had heavy tinge of the purple colour.
The three out of the four candles lit on Sundays during the advent season are also of purple colour.
I kept wondering how purple colour has come to occupy a central place during the advent.
I was fascinated to read that purple combines the calm stability of blue and the energy of red. Light purple has more Femine nobility, bright purple associated with richness and royalty and dark purple associated with sadness.
There is a suggestion that purple or violet might symbolise sensitive, compassionate, understanding and supportive orientation of a person, who thinks of others before oneself. To such people others come for help. Being needed is a motivation although people might sometimes take advantage of such people!
There are artists who suggest that purple is a girl colour as it is often seen in the women's attire. Some artists attribute wisdom, bravery and spirituality as symbols of purple. Introverts seem to like cool colours of blue, green and purple. Purple also represents the future, the imagination and dreams of a person and inspires and enhances spiritual enlightenment, while keeping a person grounded. The purple shares the mood of peace and tranquility. It is used when love, close bonds and admiration are to be communicated.
However the negative meaning of purple colour is self importance, conceit and corruption.
The purple or violet during the advent season symbolises repentance and fasting. The purple candles, three of them represent hope, peace, and love.
The pink candle lit on the third Sunday of the advent season represents joy.
I look back to our time at St. Andrew's church, Egmore, Chennai when Anna and I were invited to light a purple candle during the morning serve on an advent Sunday. Since then, Anna often tried to place on our table at home with four candles during the advent season to remember the hope, peace, joy and love of Christmas.
What value would this have unless we are able to share this with others. It was a practice at St Andrews Church to visit some homes of those who were ill or advanced in age to light candles on the advent Sundays. The volunteers carried food and some other provisions for those families whom they visited.
The Christmas season is a time to experience togetherness and share the spirit of fellowship!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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