Every year on July 16, the Universal Church and Carmelite Family celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Br Malvino Alfonso OCD
For Carmelites, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is an important Marian feast and a joyful occasion to thank God for the countless blessings bestowed through the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
First celebrated in England during the 14th century, the feast gradually spread throughout the Carmelite Order and later became a cherished celebration in the universal Church.
This year’s pastoral theme of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, ‘Abide in Me’ (Jn 15:4), reflects the heart of Carmelite spirituality. No one lived this invitation more perfectly than Mary. As Our Lady of Mount Carmel, she teaches every Christian that abiding in Christ means listening to God’s Word, remaining faithful in prayer, participating in the Eucharist, and serving others with generous love.
Origins of the Carmelite Order
The Carmelite Order began in the late 12th century when Christian hermits settled on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land, inspired by the Prophet Elijah’s spirit of prayer and fidelity to God. They embraced a life of contemplation, fraternity, and service. Around 1206–1214, St. Albert of Vercelli, Patriarch of Jerusalem, gave them a rule of life centred on allegiance to Jesus Christ through prayer, meditation on the scriptures, the Eucharist, and community life.
From the beginning, the hermits entrusted themselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary, dedicating their chapel to her and becoming known as the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary
of Mount Carmel.
The gift of the brown scapular
When the Carmelites migrated to Europe in the 13th century, they experienced many hardships and prayed for Mother Mary’s protection.
Originally part of the Carmelite habit, the brown scapular later became a smaller form worn by the faithful. But it is much more than a devotional object. It is a visible sign of one’s commitment to belong to Christ under the loving care of Mary. It symbolises a covenant of love and communion with the Blessed Virgin, inviting the faithful to imitate her virtues of faith, humility, purity, obedience, and charity.
By wearing the scapular, Christians are reminded that they are called to abide in Christ as Mary did. The scapular invites its wearers to cultivate daily prayer, meditation on Sacred Scripture, frequent reception of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and generous service to others.
Spiritual richness
The Church has consistently encouraged devotion to the brown scapular. Pope Honorius III approved the Carmelite Rule in 1226, while Pope Innocent IV adapted it in 1247. St. Pius X permitted the use of the scapular medal in particular circumstances. St. John Paul II, who faithfully wore the brown scapular throughout his life, described it as a sign of Mary’s loving protection and a reminder of consecration to Christ through her.
Other Popes, including Benedict XV, Pius XII, St. John XXIII, and St. Paul VI, also promoted this devotion.
Many saints bore witness to its spiritual richness. St. Teresa of Avila encouraged devotion to the scapular as a privilege of belonging to Mary. St. Thérèse of Lisieux found comfort beneath Mary’s maternal mantle. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) called it the “armour of God”, while Blessed Isidore Bakanja remained faithful to the scapular even unto martyrdom.
Closely linked with devotion to the rosary, the scapular reminds believers that authentic Marian devotion always leads to Jesus.
