Light, innocence, purity, joy, triumph, glory

White represents joy, innocence, purity and glory. White vestments are worn during the seasons of Easter and Christmas; on all feasts of Our Lord other than his Passion; on feasts of the Blessed Virgin; the angels and those saints who were not martyrs.

Note: White is the color of Popes' non-liturgical dress. White can be replaced by Silver.

The Passion, blood, fire, God's Love, martyrdomRed is the color of blood and represents the burning love of the Holy Spirit. Red vestments are worn on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, all feasts of Our Lord's Passion, on Pentecost and on the feast days of martyrs.

• Note: Red is the color of Cardinals' non-liturgical dress

The Holy Ghost, life eternal, hope

Green is the color of rebirth and hope, especially of hope for eternal life. Green is worn during the liturgical season known today as Ordinary time.  
Time After Epiphany and Time After Pentecost
 

Penance, humility, melancholy

Violet or purple represents sorrow and penitence. It is the color for Advent and Lent, as well as the color of the stole the priest wears when he hears confessions.


Season of Advent
Season of Septuagesima
Season of Lent
Rogation Days
Ember Days (except for Pentecost Ember Days)
Vigils except for Ascension and Pentecost
Good Friday

Note: Violet, literally "amaranth red," is the color of Bishops', Archbishops', and Patriarchs' non-liturgical dress

Joy

Gold-colored vestments may be worn at solemn Masses, such as Midnight Mass. And silver-colored vestments are also permitted for solemn holy days, although it is a rare thing in the United States to see a priest vested in silver.

Gold can replace white, red, or green (but not violet or black)