A Marian prayer strand. The Carmelites built a monastery atop Mt Carmel and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary the “Star of the Sea” . Queen of Carmel has always faithfully watched and protected her children on earth.
Mount Carmel is a well known ridge in Palestine overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Richly forested and fertile, known for not only its flowering pastures and sheltering caves but also for wine and oil production during ancient times. It is also a strategic site for defense as it looks down upon its shores. The mount is known as the place of a contest between Elijah and 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah (both false gods). Berthold, the founder of the Carmelite religious order came from France to Mount Carmel, built a small chapel soon joined by hermits in imitation of Elijah. After his death, St. Brocard became leader who formeed the Order of Carmelites in the 12th century. A monastery was built and it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary as ‘Star of the Sea’ – a medieval title describing the mother of Christ as the cloud of life that dwells over the sea promising rain and fertility. According to Carmelite tradition, a scapular—a small piece of rough wool cloth, was given to St. Simon Stock (General of the Order in Europe) by Mary. On July 16, 1251, he prayed to Mary that his order could be saved from its oppression. She appeared to him with the scapular in hand, saying “Take, beloved son this scapular of thy order as a badge of my confraternity and for thee and all Carmelites a special sign of grace; whoever dies in this garment will not suffer everlasting fire. It is the sign of salvation, a safeguard in dangers, a pledge of peace and of the covenant”. Throughout the ages, the Queen of Carmel has always kept a faithful watch over the destinies of Her cherished children on earth.
The Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is July 16 and honours the foundation of the Carmelite religious order in the 12th century.
I offer the Chaplet of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in various colour combinations. Each chaplet comes with a prayer page and a plastic storage bag. Sample images and prices are shown below.
Please contact me to arrange for a purchase. Additional chaplets and rosaries are available on my Wool of the Lamb Prayer Beads page.
Chaplet of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – $18
The Chaplet of Our Lady of Mount Carmel consists of 10 beads ending with a felted bead Trinity.
