Why do Episcopal churches paint their doors red?

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Many Episcopal Church doors are painted red, to signify "sanctuary" -- the ground beyond the doors is holy, and anyone who goes through them is safe from physical (and spiritual) harm. In ancient times, no one could pursue an enemy past red doors into a church, and certainly no one could be harmed or captured inside of a church....Show more

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The Episcopal church is both catholic and reformed at the same time, holding onto catholicity of the early church all the while seeing this through the enlightenment of the Reformation. Some of the primary differences of the Episcopal church are rejection of the idea that the Bishop of Rome (Pope) has primary authority over the Church Universal, clergy can marry, transsubtantiation of Eucharist is not mandatory doctrine, females can be ordained as priests in most dioceses and provinces, much less centralized control by church hierarchy, lay persons have far greater involvement in church administration and leadership, bishops are generally elected (as opposed to being appointed by a central authority), and there's a system of governance that is similar to our federal structure with bicameral houses and a presiding bishop....Show more

In the earlier days of the church it was understood that a soldier could not pursue an enemy that had entered through the red doors of a church. The red doors were a symbol of refuge and sanctuary for all people who entered. To all concerned the red on the doors signified the blood of Christ that had been shed so that all who came to him could be saved. Anyone who passed through those doors was safe as long as they stayed behind them.

Over time, Christian people began to see the red doors of the church as symbolizing not only physical refuge and safety, but spiritual refuge as well. The blood of Jesus, and of the Church's martyrs, that the red doors of the church symbolized, would protect you from evil, both physical and spiritual. The red doors spoke to the world of holy ground that existed inside those doors, space that had been purged and made clean by God's Holy Spirit. Today people choose to paint their church doors red for many of the same reasons that churches did centuries ago....Show more

In the earlier days of the church it was understood that a soldier could not pursue an enemy that had entered through the red doors of a church. The red doors were a symbol of refuge and sanctuary for all people who entered. To all concerned the red on the doors signified the blood of Christ that had been shed so that all who came to him could be saved. Anyone who passed through those doors was safe as long as they stayed behind them....Show more

Red Door Church...Show more