The Scapular Of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

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Br. Charles ocd

On July 16 of each and every year, all the Carmelite monasteries and convents in the world and a large number of churches and parishes celebrate the day of the Lady of Carmel or 'the Lady of the Scapular'.

What is the story behind this feast?

As mentioned before, the Carmelite order went through a lot of difficulties. In the mid of the 13^th century, Saint Simon Stok was the general superior of the order threatened to disappear. He turned to the Virgin Mary, asking her fervently to protect the order that bore her name. On July 16, 1251, the Virgin surrounded by angels appeared to him carrying the Carmelite scapular and said," This grace is for you and your children after you. He who dies wearing this scapular shall never know the fires of hell, but will win his salvation" and she handed him the scapular.

Many miracles and conversions which took place thanks to this scapular, accelerated its veneration in the world, especially after the multiple appearances of the Virgin to several Popes, asking them to recognize the Carmelite scapular, among whom Pope Innocent IV and Pope John XXII to whom she appeared in 1322 and said, "Here I am, Mother of mercy, Lady of the Carmel. I shall save from the purgatory the Saturday of his death, he who wears this holy scapular with godliness and piety." Hence, the Saturday privilege was consecrated to the Carmelites. As the Mother of Humanity, the Virgin Mary did not apply only to the Carmelite religious community, but had said, "He who dies wearing this scapular" encompassing by that the entire secular community as well.

Throughout history, many Kings wore the scapular. Among them King Louis of France, Dom Bosco, and most of the Popes in the last three centuries, including Pope John Paul II.

In its two most important appearances in Lourdes and Fatima, the Virgin Mary reiterated the veneration that is due to Her and to the scapular.

On July 16, 1858, coinciding with the Lady of the Carmel's Day, the Virgin appeared for the 18^th and last time in Lourdes to Saint Bernadette who had said on this glorious day, "I have never seen her look so beautiful as today."

On the occasion of the appearances centennial, the Lourdes bishop explained, 'The fact that the virgin wanted her last appearance to occur on July 16 reveals her intention to draw the attention of the world to venerating her on this day as the Lady of the Carmel and the Lady of the Scapular. She cherishes this day as much as she cherishes the Carmelite order with its spirituality, its holiness, its Doctors of the Church and all those who are connected to the Carmel."

In Fatima and during her 15^th appearance on August 15, 1917, the Virgin promised the three little shepherds: Lucia, François and Jacinth that in her last appearance on October 13, they shall see the Lady of the Carmel. On the mentioned day, and in the appearance during which the planets danced before the very eyes of the people, the Virgin was standing there, holding the Carmelite scapular in her hands. Today, Lucia, the only survivor witness, who became a Carmelite nun, explains that the Virgin wants us all to wear the Carmelite scapular.

Bishop da Silva also insists that the Carmelite scapular is a complementary part to the message of Fatima.

So, what is that scapular to which the Virgin attaches great importance? Who can wear it? What promises does the holder of this scapular get?

Our Lady of the Carmel's scapular is that of the Virgin. Today, it is symbolized by two pieces of brown fabric attached together with a thread, one carrying the picture of the Lady of the Carmel and the other the image of the Sacred Heart. The Carmelite scapular is worn on the chest and the back. It can be found in the Carmelite convents and monasteries, and any baptized person can wear it on the hands of a Carmelite priest or any priest delegated by the Carmelite superior.

The holder of the scapular commits to wearing it constantly, and venerating the Virgin Mary through daily prayer, celebrating the Mass every Sunday and in days dedicated to the Virgin and confessing every month.

The Virgin promised Saint Simon Stok to open the doors of heaven to all those who die wearing the scapular. The Virgin pledged to guaranty them eternal salvation. Such an end is the exhaustion of man's deepest wish that is the ultimate happiness.

Millions of people have been protected and saved by the Virgin from mortal dangers and foes. Millions of others have been led by Her to repent and confessing only a few minutes before they die, under miraculous circumstances, because they were wearing the Carmelite scapular. All Popes recognized and confirmed this matter.

On February 11^th, 1950, Pope Pius XII wrote, "The Carmelite scapular which is identical to that of the Virgin Mary is the sign and the guarantee of protection bestowed by the Virgin Mary, Mother of God."

On August 16, 1950, the Pope himself declared, "How many souls in desperate situations, have been redeemed and found their salvation through the scapular they were wearing! How many souls could feel and really touch this maternal protection especially when they faced physical perils."

Pope John Paul II has made many statements about this matter. In July 1996, on the day of Our Lady of the Carmel he said, "Through this scapular, the worshipers of the Lady of the Carmel express their deepest will to follow into the steps of Mary, the Mother, the Saint Patron, the Sister, and the pure immaculate Virgin, much like the Carmelites do..." On March 25, 2001, on the 750^th anniversary of the Carmelite scapular, his Holiness addressed a message to the Carmelite order saying, "I too have held in my heart the Carmelite scapular for a long time, through the never-ending love of our heavenly mother and her protection which I personally experienced. Hence, I cannot but give my blessing to all the priests, nuns and seculars who belong to the Carmelite family and who work hard to spread the veneration of the Virgin Mary, Star of the Morning and Flower of the Carmel. He who wears the scapular is a partner of the Carmelite order consecrated to serve Our Lady and the Church.

He who wears the scapular, enters the land of the Carmel to taste its fruits and ravishing beauty, and to feel for himself the tender and smooth presence of Mary in his life and Her protection until the day he dies."

The words of the Supreme Pontiff are, without a doubt the words of the truth adopted and prevailing in the Christian community.

Back to the history of the Popes, we notice that most of the leaders of the Church have always venerated the Virgin Mary. For 750 years, the Popes have been inseparable from the Carmelite scapular and the Rosary. Time does not allow us to mention them all with their different ways of believing in the Carmelite scapular and their statements, so we shall only mention a few of them.

The violent campaign led by atheists and some Christian believers against the scapular of the Lady of the Carmel, and particularly the Saturday privilege were muzzled by Pope John XXII's papal bull. He declared that the Virgin appeared to him and demanded the recognition of the Carmelite scapular and the Saturday privilege. On August 12, 1530, his Holiness Pope Clement VII confirmed the veneration of the Carmelite scapular and the Saturday privilege in another papal bull.

His successor Pope Paul III issued later on two papal bulls to endorse what have already been confirmed, the first when he became head of the Roman Catholic Church on November 3^rd 1534, and the second one at the end of his pontificate on April 27 1549. Whereas Pope Pius V known as the Rosary Pope, issued the Saturday bull on February 18^th 1566, which was confirmed on September 18 1577 by Pope Gregory XIII.

But it was Pope Paul V who put an end to all the interrogations when he issued a decree on January 20^th 1617 saying, "The Carmelite Fathers are allowed to sermonize Christians so that they recognize the blessings of the Mother of God and Her protection of the souls that wear the Carmelite scapular."

This decree ended flatly all hostilities and the Pope's words rose high in absolute defense of the Carmelite Scapular.

Most of the Popes have worn the Carmelite Scapular under their clothes. Some did that before they were elected and until they died and some others during their pontificate. Some of these Popes are: Pope Gregory XIII, Pope Gregory XIV and Pope Leon XI, on whom the Carmelite Scapular was found while he was getting dressed after his election. When someone tried to strip him of the scapular, he said, "Mary's scapular will accompany me until the day I die. Nobody will take it, it's my protection."

Pope Alexander VII headed to a Carmelite monastery before his election and asked for a Carmelite Scapular. He wore it and went back to the Vatican where he was elected to chair the Holy See.