Our Lady of Mount Carmel is an apparition of Mary that is most well known for bestowing the Brown Scapular to St. Simon Stock, an early Carmelite prior, in 1251.
Originally, the Carmelites, founded in 1182, were an order of hermits that settled on Mount Carmel in order to follow in the prophet Elijah’s footsteps. It was at this location that Elijah had challenged 450 prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). Before the apparition of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, however, the Carmelites were forced out of Mount Carmel due to the threat of Muslim invasion and had to resettle in Europe, changing from hermits to brothers. In addition to losing their home, the Carmelite Order was threatened with dissolution by the Catholic Church.
During this trying time, St. Simon Stock would pray incessantly for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary to aid the order. Then, on July 16, 1251, Simon Stock had a vision of Our Lady, who gave the Scapular to Simon, saying “Receive, my dear son, this scapular of your Order, as the distinctive sign of the mark of the privilege that I have obtained for you and the children of Carmel; it is a sign of salvation, a safeguard in perils and the pledge of peace and special protection until the end of the centuries. Whoever dies in this garment will be preserved from eternal fires.” After Simon Stock had this vision, and through the spreading of the Brown Scapular, the Carmelite order survived and began to grow.
Prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
“O Most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, beautiful vine, splendor of heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity… O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my mother.
O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succor me in this my necessity; there are none that can withstand your power.
O show me herein you are my Mother. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse. Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands.”
