For Carmelites, the scapular is the most essential part of our habit; it is an outward sign of our deep relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Sister, Mother, Patroness and Queen. It is an effective symbol of Mary’s protection of the Order of Carmel. The Blessed Virgin has shown her patronage over the Order of Carmel from its earliest days. The scapular is a sign of the love of Mary and a sign of our love for her. By wearing it, we demonstrate our desire to imitate Mary in our allegiance to Jesus Christ. The scapular thus symbolizes “that we belong to Mary and that we strive to be clothed with her virtues so as to mirror in the world the beauty of her holiness” (Const. 49).

Stories and legends abound in Carmelite tradition about the many ways in which the Mother of God has interceded for the Order, especially in critical moments of its history. Most enduring and popular of these traditions, blessed by the Church, concerns Mary’s promise to St. Simon Stock who was Prior General of the Carmelites in the middle of the thirteenth century. The Carmelite Order has always been anxious to share this patronage and protection with those who are devoted to the Mother of God. Carmelites thus see the scapular as a great gift, a genuine form of devotion, and a sign of consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“If she [Mary] is so great and so strong to those who wear the scapular, how much more, Reverend Fathers, will she be to you who have vowed to do so until the grave and have discarded everything to be so dressed completely.”

– St. Claude la Colombiere, Apostle of the Scapular, from a retreat given to the Discalced Carmelite Friars