Cardinal Red

The vestment color of Catholic cardinals; a solemn, deep red

HEX#9B2335

RGBrgb(155, 35, 53)

HSLhsl(351, 63%, 37%)

HSVhsv(351, 77%, 61%)

CMYKcmyk(0%, 77%, 66%, 39%)

HEXA#9B2335FF

RGBArgba(155, 35, 53, 1)

HSLAhsla(351, 63%, 37%, 1)

OKLCHoklch(64%, 0.129, 8)

LCHlch(56.3%, 36.4, 5)

🎨 Color Palettes

Analogous2-3 adjacent hues (≤60°)

Triadic3 hues spaced 120° apart

Split ComplementaryMain color + colors adjacent to its complement

Complementary2 hues spaced 180° apart

Tetradic (Rectangle)4 hues forming a rectangle

MonochromaticSingle hue with varying saturation and lightness

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Aa14px Body

High Contrast Text

#FBEEF0Ratio 6.9:1AA

Suitable for body text, headings, and primary content, ensuring readability for all users

Aa14px Body

Standard Text

#E9B99FRatio 4.4:1AA Large

Suitable for regular body content, meeting WCAG AA standards

Aa14px Body

Large Text / UI Components

#B39E29Ratio 2.9:1Fail

Suitable for large text (≥18px bold or ≥24px), icons, UI component boundaries

Aa14px Body

Decorative / Dividers

#359A23Ratio 2.2:1Fail

Suitable for decorative elements, dividers, non-essential text

📊 Color Scales

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Lightness VariationFixed hue and saturation, stepwise lightness adjustment ±30%

#2A090E

#471018

#701926

#9A2335

#C32C43

#D64C61

#E07686

Saturation VariationFixed hue and lightness, stepwise saturation adjustment ±30%

#7D3F49

#873642

#902C3B

#9A2335

#A3192E

#AD1028

#B60721

Lightness + Saturation Mixed VariationSimultaneous lightness and saturation adjustment

#37161B

#4C1A22

#6F202C

#942435

#BB253C

#DE2B46

#EA4861

Hue Fine-TuningFixed saturation and lightness, stepwise hue fine-tuning ±15°

#9A2352

#9A2349

#9A233F

#9A2335

#9A232B

#9A2523

#9A2F23

💡 Use Cases

⛪

Episcopal Liturgy

Cardinals wear red chasubles during important Masses. The red, deep and sacred in the candlelight, brings the sense of ritual to its peak.

🎨

Religious Paintings

The red robes of saints and angels are the focal point of Renaissance religious paintings. Cardinal red is ubiquitous in the Vatican Museums.

📿

Rosary Bracelets

Cardinal red rosaries are prayer tools for Catholic believers. The red beads slide through the fingers as faith flows at the fingertips.

🏰

Castle Interiors

Cardinal red velvet curtains and wallpaper were standard in European castle noble living quarters. Paired with dark gold furniture, they are opulent without being frivolous.

📜 Origin & History

Cardinal red is the color of the vestments of Catholic cardinals. In the 13th century, Pope Innocent IV granted cardinals the red robe; the red symbolizes the cardinal's willingness to shed blood for the faith.

The dye for cardinal red originally came from Mediterranean cochineal insects, deeper and more solemn than regular red. Making a single cardinal red robe required several kilograms of dye, making it extremely expensive.

After the 16th-century Council of Trent, the status of cardinal red was further consolidated. The red robe became the authoritative color within the Catholic Church's power structure, second only to the Pope's white.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini's design for the Baldacchino (bronze canopy) in St. Peter's Basilica uses dark red marble as its base. Cardinal red extended from attire into religious architecture and art.

Modern cardinal red remains the signature color of the Catholic Church. Every new cardinal receives a red robe and red zucchetto (skullcap) upon appointment, continuing an eight-hundred-year color tradition.

🧠 Color Psychology

Sacred SacrificeCardinal red symbolizes the oath to shed blood and die for the faith. Deep and solemn, it represents the soul's complete devotion to God.

Church AuthorityCardinal red represents the highest level of authority within the Catholic Church, second only to the Pope—an unchallengeable order within the belief system.

Historical WeightThe eight-hundred-year tradition of cardinal red has continued uninterrupted, serving as the most vivid chromatic witness to the history of the Christian church.

Solemn RitualWhen the red robe appears during Mass, the entire atmosphere of the church becomes solemn. The sense of ritual penetrates deep into the soul.

Loyalty and FaithCardinal red is the color of absolute loyalty to faith. The cardinals use this color to manifest their vow of eternal fidelity.

Artistic HeritageIn religious art, the red robes of saints often use cardinal red, making it the most striking color block in Western religious painting.

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