Why is the color purple religiously important? What does it symbolize?

Answer 1

it symbolized wealth. the colorants used to make purple dyes that stayed purple were hard to come by, and difficult to collect. one of them was a little shellfish that they had to gather by the thousands to then bash n mash up to get just a small amount of dye. in some cultures at some times it was punishable by death to wear purple if u were not allowed.

Answer 2

Purple's association with royalty actually encompasses two reasons: one practical, the other symbolic.

The physical/practical reason was already stated; purple dye was extremely rare and thus a premium was placed upon its creation.

Purple, as a symbolic representation, suggests the alchemical balancing of the two major elements: fire and water. Fire is passionate, but dangerously reckless and prone to running wild. Water is emotional and deep, but can drown and/or overwhelm oneself. Purple thus symbolizes the blending of the two into a unified and balanced whole.

Also, since fire and water have associations of man and woman, the blending of the two suggests the unification of man and woman in the act of sex/love, resolving the distance between.

This is best symbolized by what is now known as the seal of Solomon and the Star of David. The upward pointing triangle, representing fire and/or man, intersects with the downward pointing triangle, representing water and/or woman, and both are equal distant and entwined with each other, so that no matter which way you 'rotate' the symbol, it always shows the same design.

As the 'signs' are blended in the symbol, so are the colors blended and balanced in purple, and thus a designation of royalty/power/knowledge.

Answer 3

Purple is the color of Royalty. In fact, during Biblical times, purple dye was extracted from a type of shellfish. It was extremely difficult to extract and minute amounts came from one creature. It was so rare and costly that only royalty could afford to buy it. At one time the possession of purple dyes or purple garments was even restricted by law in Rome.

Answer 4

As Prince John says in the Disney animated Robin Hood, "Power! POWER!!! Mmmmm, powwwwer."

He had a purple cape, too, didn't he? Or was it red?

I guess it probably symbolizes wealth or the ability to get fancy-shmancy dyes--it seems like purple dye used to be very hard to obtain.

Answer 5

Four colors are Biblically significant.

Red, Purple, Blue and Gold.

They are the colors of the High Priests garment for a reason.

The first man's name means "red earth". Typified by both Adam and Edom, red represents the judgment of God and the blood (judgment) of Christ spilled to take our sin away.

Blue represents the river in Gen 2. The blue thread on the four corners of the Jewish garment are meant to remind us of the four rivers that flowed from westward in Eden, the garden of God. The nation Israel (in symbolism) represented a new patriarch born from something that couldn't bring forth life, the garment to mean they supplant Adam.

Purple is a mixture of blue and red, Christians are saved by the blood, and our patriarch is the Son of God, who is the "second Adam" whose blood takes away our sin. (Don't forget the incident involving Pilate putting a purple robe upon him).

Gold represents royalty. Everything in the Holy of holies is overlaid with Gold. That precinct of the temple represents (in imagery) the Kingdom age, the gold represents the purity and incorruption of that kingdom.

Answer 6

During the rise of Christianity, the Romans used colors to define power. Purple was considered a color of power and authority.

Just shows you another thing the Christians stole...

Answer 7

As everyone says - the colour of royalty. The *reason* is that the only way to make purple was a hugely time-consuming process involving marine snails, and it cost a bomb.

So only kings and priests could afford it.

CD

Answer 8

It symbolizes Royalty =)

Answer 9

It symbolizes royalty.

Answer 10

Purple typically refers to royalty, power and nobility.