Amethyst - The Royal Stone

Many Catholic churches cover their spiritual images with purple cloth during Lent, especially the large crucifix overhanging the altar, to impact the faithful, creating a spiritual hunger to see the face of their savior, Jesus Christ, once again. This covering shifts the focus from simple worship and adoration to a deeper form of meditation, remembering Christ’s redemptive acts through His sacrifice on the cross.

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The color purple has long symbolized Royalty. The dictionary defines purple as “any color having components of both red and blue” and as a “symbol of royalty or high office.” Purple’s elite status stems from the rarity and cost of the dye originally used to produce it. The earliest archaeological evidence for the origins of purple dyes points to the ancient land of Canaan.

The twelfth and final foundational stone is the Amethyst, a deep purple or violet stone, the only gem of this color. Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz (SiO₂) and owes its violet color to irradiation of trivalent iron impurities (Fe3+) and the presence of large trace elements. It is the most precious member of the quartz family. The hardness of the mineral is the same as quartz (Mohs 7) and thus it is suitable for use in jewelry.

The Amethyst is also found in the Breastplate of the High Priest, the third stone in the third row. It represents Issachar by birth order and Benjamin by the order of the camp. For the Apostles, it has been linked to Andrew and also to Matthew because of its fiery aspect.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word is “achlamah” meaning the precious stone now known as Amethyst. It is thought to have derived from the root “chalam,” meaning to dream, and thus the Amethyst is sometimes referred to as the “dream-stone.” The Greek word “amethystos,” used in the New Testament, means “not drunken” and thus the Amethyst was thought to ward off drunkenness. Leonardo Da Vinci wrote that Amethyst was able to dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence.

Amethyst signifies the heart of the lowly that die with Christ. It represents those who pray for their enemies and their persecuters. It is worn by Roman Catholic Bishops as a symbol of trust, piety, humility, sincerity and spiritual wisdom. Moses described it as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews.

As the last foundation of the New Jerusalem, it is only proper that this stone symbolize the royal nature of the King that will rule and reign forever!

1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) – But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

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