Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Feast day: July 16
Queen of Carmel and Mother of the Scapular, patroness of the Carmelite Order and devotion widespread in Brazil and throughout the Church.
Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel dates to the hermits of Mount Carmel in the Holy Land, who in the twelfth century dedicated a chapel to the Virgin Mary under the title 'Flower of Carmel.'
The Carmelite Order spread through Europe and, in the thirteenth century, received from Pope John XXII the devotional promise associated with the scapular — a sign of consecration to Mary and trust in her protection.
In Brazil, devotion to Carmel arrived with colonizers and missionaries. Shrines, confraternities, and processions mark July 16 in countless cities, especially in coastal and port regions.
The traditional image shows Mary with the Child Jesus and the scapular, symbol of spiritual friendship between the Virgin and her devotees.
The liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated on July 16. She is invoked for protection, spiritual graces, and the grace of a holy death.
Dedicated prayer
To the Queen of Carmel, Mother of the Scapular, we ask protection, graces, and the grace of a holy death.
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