π Our Lady of Mount Carmel π
Patroness and Mother of the Carmelite Order
πΌοΈ Iconography: βOur Lady of Mount Carmelβ by Pietro Novelli, 1641
π Papal Approval:
β’ 30 January 1226 by Pope Honorius III
β’ Renewed in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V
π Feast Day: July 16
π Attributes: Brown scapular, crown, holding the Christ Child, often shown handing down the scapular
π Patronage: Carmelites, Chile, Bolivia, Catemaco, Aylesford, Roraima, Birkirkara, Jaboticabal, Valletta, Pernambuco, Villalba, Hatillo, Higuerote, Carlopoli, Barasoain Church, protection from harm and danger, and deliverance from purgatory
βWhosoever dies wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.β β Promise of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as the Virgin of Carmel, is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, venerated as the patroness of the Carmelite Order, including both the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance and the Discalced Carmelites. This devotion, rooted in the 12th century, centers on the Brown Scapular and is celebrated liturgically on July 16.
The Carmelites, unique among religious orders for their origins in the Crusader States, migrated to Europe in the 13th century, establishing a presence in England by 1241β1242. Our Lady of Mount Carmel became the patron saint of Chile in the 19th century.
However, a document purportedly written by Stockβs secretary, Peter Swanington, claiming the vision occurred on July 16, 1251, was later identified as a 17th-century forgery by Carmelite friar John Cheron. Despite this, the association between the scapular and the July 16 feast persisted for centuries. Historical records show the liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel likely began in England in the late 14th century as a thanksgiving for Maryβs protection of the Carmelite Order. The feast was set on July 16 due to a conflict with the feast of Saint Alexis on July 17 in Europe. The Latin poem Flos Carmeli ("Flower of Carmel") became the sequence for this Mass.
Simon Stockβs feast, while not officially canonized, is celebrated in Carmelite communities, particularly in places like Aylesford, England, where a relic was placed in 1951. Post-Vatican II liturgical reforms removed references to the scapular in the feast due to historical uncertainties.
Devotion and Practices
Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel emphasizes Mary as a model of prayer, contemplation, and virtue, guiding Christians toward Christ. The Brown Scapular signifies a wearerβs commitment to emulate Maryβs humility, chastity, and prayerful life. The 1996 doctrinal statement from the Congregation for Divine Worship describes the scapular as a sign of belonging to the Carmelite Order, consecration to Mary, and a call to imitate her virtues.
The Carmelite Order views Mary as a Spiritual Mother, with the Stella Maris Monastery on Mount Carmel serving as its spiritual center. A traditional prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel seeks her intercession:
βO most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Motherβ¦β
Global Veneration
- Spain and Spanish-Speaking Countries: Our Lady of Mount Carmel is deeply revered, particularly as the patroness of sailors, fishermen, and the Spanish Army (proclaimed in 1901). Coastal towns hold maritime processions on July 16. In Spain, names like Carmen and MarΓa del Carmen are popular. In Peru, the Mamacha Carmen festival in Paucartambo features processions with traditional dancers, while in Lima, she is the patroness of Criollism and perpetual mayor. She is also the patroness of Chileβs armed forces, Colombiaβs National Police, Boliviaβs nation and armed forces, Venezuelaβs army and drivers, and the Dominican Republic.
- United States: In Brooklynβs Williamsburg neighborhood, a 10-day festival in July includes parading a 65-foot giglio tower with a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, culminating on July 16. In the Bronxβs Belmont neighborhood, a procession occurs on 187th Street, home to the parish church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Hammonton, New Jersey, hosts a week-long festival, ongoing since 1875, recognized as the longest-running Italian-American festival in the U.S.
- Italy: In Acquafondata, a sanctuary marks a reported apparition of the Virgin on July 16, 1841. In Palmi, Calabria, an annual commemoration on November 16 recalls a 1894 earthquake, where a statue of Our Lady reportedly displayed unusual signs beforehand. A procession during the quake is credited with saving lives, as most residents were outdoors. The Catholic Church recognized this as a miracle, crowning the statue in 1896.
Association with Purgatory
Since the Middle Ages, Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been linked to aiding souls in Purgatory, often depicted with angels and scapular-wearing souls seeking her intercession. The Sabbatine Privilege, associated with a papal bull, suggested special graces for scapular wearers, but its promotion was curtailed in 1613 due to exaggerated claims. Today, the Carmelites emphasize Maryβs general intercession for the faithful, particularly those who wear the scapular, and encourage devotion to her on Saturdays.
Apparitions and Miracles
- FΓ‘tima Apparitions (1917): The Virgin Mary, appearing as Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the final vision, reportedly emphasized the scapularβs importance, urging all to wear it.
- Palmi Miracle (1894): Strange movements and color changes in a statue of Our Lady preceded an earthquake, and a procession during the event is believed to have minimized casualties.
Peace Movement
The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16 coincides with the 1945 Trinity nuclear test in New Mexico. Since 1990, Rev. Emmanuel Charles McCarthy has organized a prayer vigil at the Trinity site on this date, seeking Our Ladyβs intercession for peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Church Teaching
The Carmelite spirituality, as articulated by Discalced Carmelite Kieran Kavanaugh, views the scapular as a sign of belonging to Mary, consecration to her Immaculate Heart, and a call to emulate her virtues. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi describes devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel as a call to a contemplative, Marian life of prayer and union with God, with Mary as the βQueen and Splendor of Carmel.β
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