Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Feast day: July 16

There are numerous titles used to invoke Mary, the Mother of God, depending on the situation. The title "Our Lady of Mount Carmel" stems from the Prophet Elijah's experience on Mount Carmel, where he challenged the believers of false gods to a contest. Hermits have long maintained a location on the mountain where they were committed to a life of frugality and prayer. The mountain has been revered since Elijah's time.

The most well-known devotion to Our Lady under this heading is the Brown Scapular, which, according to legend, she gave to the Carmelite priest St. Simon Stock as a gift of protection. The priests chose Our Lady of Mount Carmel to symbolize their Marian and intensely contemplative devotion when the Carmelite Order was founded many centuries later.

Pope Pius XII ranked the Carmelite brown scapular alongside the rosary as being "in the top rank of Marian devotion," and it is worn by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. The scapular represents the Carmelites' unique devotion to Mary and conveys our faith in her maternal protection as well as our desire to imitate her dedication to both Christ and humanity. Since it invokes Mary's intercessional authority, the scapular conveys greater meaning. According to the scapular devotion, all individuals who honor Mary and look to her as their guide and inspiration will get her protection in both life and death.