In addition to wearing the scapular, the Discalced Carmelites wear a side rosary as an additional sign of devotion to Mary. The rosary is thus another way to witness to the fact that we belong to a religious family totally dedicated to the love and service of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The tradition of the side rosary began centuries ago: knights wore a sword at their side and friars wore the weapon of the rosary at their side. If the scapular is our shield, the rosary is our sword!

Our Holy Mother Saint Teresa in The Book of Her Life talks about how she loved the rosary from a young age: “I sought out solitude to pray my devotions, and they were many, especially the rosary, to which my mother was very devoted; and she made us devoted to it too (1.6).” Discalced Carmelites often wear a six decade rosary. We pray additional decades meditating on the Immaculate Conception (joyful), the Deposition (sorrowful) and the Patronage of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (glorious). Carmelus est totus Marianus! (Carmel is totally Marian!)