Our Lady of Mount Carmel The Lady of the Place Our Lady of Mount Carmel

“The glory of Lebanon is given to her, all the beauty of Carmel and Sharon” the sacred scriptures speak of the beauty of Mount Carmel and in the Song of Solomon the beauty of the bride is compared to the charm of this holy place there, at the beginning of the 13th century under the title of Saint Mary of Mount Carmel, the Order of Carmelites had its formal beginning the beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Lady of the place, was compared to that of Mount Carmel

“Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising out of the sea.” Carmelites rejoice in the Virgin Mary, Mother and Beauty of Carmel. As her children we always remember her faithful love towards us. As the Star of the Sea she shines on her people as their sure hope and comfort. “Mary you are that mystical cloud, your son, is new life’s rain to us”

“Mary, ever virgin, has been given us as our Mother; she has taken pity on us” Strained by the Ottoman forces, Carmelites had to flee away from their holy mountain and scattered all around Europe. A venerable tradition recounts that, from the chapel on Mt. Carmel, they brought with them an icon of Our Lady. This 13th century panel is now venerated at the Carmine Maggiore in Naples where it is affectionately referred to as La Bruna. The image represents an Eleusa type of Virgin, namely “Our Lady of Tenderness”. It is usually considered to be the first image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Tall vine blossom laden; Child-bearing yet maiden. Flos Carmeli Flower of Carmel, Tall vine blossom laden; Splendour of heaven, Child-bearing yet maiden. None equals thee. Mother so tender, Who no man didst know, On Carmel’s children Thy favours bestow. Star of the Sea.

“The Lord has clothed me in the garment of salvation” From the 14th century onwards the Brown Scapular began to be associated with the protection of Our Lady to her children. Carmelites recalled the countless blessings of their patroness, by celebrating the Solemn Commemoration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The Brown Scapular is the sign of Mary’s protection and of our commitment to let her cloth us with her own virtues in our journey of faith. For those who wear it, the Scapular is also a reminder of the Baptismal commitment to follow Christ.

“She is our most efficacious means of living a Christ-like life” Carmel’s christocentric spirituality has an eminently marian character. The Virgin Mary is for the Carmelites a sister, mother and spiritual teacher, who leads us in the arduous yet holy ascent towards the divine things. Above all, the Blessed Virgin Mary is for the Carmelites a model of faith. Like her we are called to listen, to search, to accept and wait for God in a prayerful attitude towards life. © Charló-Carmel Camilleri, O.Carm. – http://www.ocarm.org