Color In Sacred Architecture

Ecclesiastical art and architecture speak to each other—and to us.

Emily Sottile, Director of the Sacred Space Studio, explores color theory in Adoremus’ May 2022 article: The Many Shades of the Liturgy: A Case for Why Color Matters in Sacred Architecture. Here are a few takeaways and tips for your summer planning!

It is often said, They don’t make them like they used to. Perhaps they don’t. But beautiful liturgical artistry and appropriate use of color is possible today in any kind of building—including new churches. The key to appropriate employment of color in Catholic churches is to follow the principles of color theory and to be uncompromising when it comes to striving for beauty in the house of God.

When considering how to incorporate color into a historic or new church, here are five key things to remember:

Be not afraid to use color—but be sure to rely on the basics of color theory.
Rely on historic precedent—but remember the color and style or decoration should always flow from the architecture and collaborate with it to support the liturgy and the community it serves.
The constituent parts of beauty in the classical sense are integrity, harmony, and clarity. These should be the measure for any architectural project.
Beautiful churches can be made today and, for those who can’t start from scratch, ugly churches can be made more beautiful.
The objective of all liturgical art is to provide an encounter with the source of all beauty, God.

Learn more about how EverGreene can add color to your next project!

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Some examples.

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Cathedral of the Madeleine

St. Francis Xavier

St. Peter the Apostle

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