Questions & Answers

Rituals

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Prayer, Fasting and Worship › Rituals

The question

Why are the altar curtains in the church "white" instead of "red" during the 50 days following the Holy Resurrection?

The answer

The altar curtains are changed to white following the Holy Resurrection. White symbolizes the glory and splendor of the Resurrected Christ. In the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew 28:3, an Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning and his clothing as WHITE as snow.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

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Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 376 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.