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Our Lady of Mt. Carmel: A Virtual Tour

As we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16, we invite you to reflect on this Marian devotion and explore where it is honored in the Basilica with our immersive virtual tour.

The Chapel of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at the Basilica

History of the Tradition

According to tradition, the scapular of Carmel was presented to St. Simon Stock in the 13th century during a period when the Carmelite Order was severely oppressed. The Blessed Mother appeared to him as an apparition and said to him:

“Receive, my beloved son, this scapular of thy Order; it is the special sign of my favor, which I have obtained for thee and for thy children of Mount Carmel. He who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and a pledge of special peace and protection.”

The scapular has become a widely used devotion, with special significance for protection as well as a reminder to practice the “habit” of Christian conduct, as described by St. Pope John Paul II.

The Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was gifted to the Basilica by the Carmelite Fathers of the American Provinces and dedicated in 1965. The Carmelites trace their origin to Mount Carmel in modern-day Israel, which the prophet Elijah consecrated to God (1 Kings 18), as depicted in the double stained-glass window above the chapel. The word carmel means “orchard” or “vineyard.”

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is depicted in relief at the center of the chapel’s mosaic. The Mother and Child hold the brown scapular given to Simon Stock on May 16, 1251, and are encircled by sculptures of six Carmelite saints: Andrew Corsini, Teresa of Avila, Simon Stock, Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, John of the Cross, and Thérèse of Lisieux.

Virtually Tour the Chapel

You can explore the chapel in 360° below!

Source:

The Basilica Guidebook, Dr. Geraldine Rohling

 

 

 

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