Historians have shown that the use of colors to differentiate liturgical seasons became a universal tradition in the Western church in about the fourth century. In the begining, usages varied considerably but by the 12th century church documents reveal that Pope Innocent III systematized the use of five colors: Violet, White, Black, Red and Green. As we know from our Lutheran history,the church that emerged from the Reformation retained the traditional colors but they disappeared entirely (along with most other ritual) from the worship of the Reformed churches. It was not until the 20th century, that the ecumenical Liturgical Movement prompted the rediscovery of olden Christian ritual—including the traditional colors of the Western church. To these have been added Blue and Gold—colors which we know were used in some Western rites before the 12th century.