On Passion Sunday, the Sunday before Palm Sunday, all religious images in a church or chapel are covered in purple, at least the main ones in the sanctuary. It is a striking and impressive sight. Why is it done?
Essentially, to deprive us of some comfort and consolation. Religious images bring us comfort. But by Passion Sunday, we enter a time in Christ's life where He was bereft of comfort. We want to accompany Him in the most difficult days of His life.
We read in the Gospel that, when the Jews picked up stones to hurl at Jesus, He hid Himself and left the Temple.
In hiding Him, we yearn for Him and seek Him all the more. We ache from His absence. And we rejoice all the more when, risen from the dead, we have Him and His image back.
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