Rosary and scapular
Encyclopedia
"The Rosary and the Scapular are inseparable" was a sentiment expressed by Lucia Santos
Lúcia Santos
Lúcia de Jesus dos Santos – Sister Mary Lucy of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart, better known as Sister Lúcia of Fátima – was a Roman Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun from Portugal...
, one of the three children who reported the Marian apparitions
Marian apparitions
A Marian apparition is an event in which the Blessed Virgin Mary is believed to have supernaturally appeared to one or more people. They are often given names based on the town in which they were reported, or on the sobriquet which was given to Mary on the occasion of the apparition...
of Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
(Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
) in 1917, and later the Pontevedra apparitions
Pontevedra apparitions
The Pontevedra apparitions are the Marian apparitions that Sister Lúcia, the visionary of Our Lady of Fátima, reported receiving while living in a Dorothean convent in Spain.-First apparition:...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) in 1925. In these apparitions, the Virgin Mary reportedly called herself The Lady of the Rosary and in one of the final Fátima appearances on October 13, 1917 had a brown scapular in one hand and a rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
in the other. The Lady of the Rosary, reportedly encouraged the praying of the Rosary and the wearing of the brown scapular. One author states that the Fatima messages do not just prophesy dangers, but include a package of solutions in which the Rosary and
the scapular are revealed as "mystical weapons of defense".
As for all Sacramentals
Sacramentals
Sacramentals are material objects, things or actions set apart or blessed by the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Churches, and Old Catholic Churches to manifest the respect due to the Sacraments, and so to excite good thoughts and to increase devotion, and through these...
, the use of the Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
and the Scapular
Scapular
The term scapular as used today refers to two specific, yet related, Christian Sacramentals, namely the monastic and devotional scapulars, although both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular"....
are optional for Roman Catholics. They have been supported, encouraged and linked by a number of Catholic figures such as popes, saints and cardinals. Specific indulgences have been associated with them.
While the exact origins of both the Rosary and the Scapular are subject to debate among scholars, Catholic traditions maintain that both Sacramentals were given by the Virgin Mary to Saints during the 13th century. Historical records document their growth during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe. By the early 20th century they had gained such a strong following among Catholics worldwide that the Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
of 1914 stated: "Like the Rosary, the Brown scapular has become the badge of the devout Catholic." This article reviews the history, Mariology and the parallel development of the Rosary and the Scapular as key Sacramentals in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
Devotions and promises
Catholic beliefs on the power of prayer
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting St. John Damascene, "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.". Humility is the foundation of prayer.....
have associated specific promise
Catholic beliefs on the power of prayer
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting St. John Damascene, "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.". Humility is the foundation of prayer.....
s and indulgences with each one. Some historians suggest that the combined effect of the devotional elements and the benefits of salvation associated with them made the Rosary and the Scapular favored Sacramentals among Roman Catholics. However, although many of the faithful choose to pray the Rosary and wear the scapular, and various Catholic figures encourage these sacramentals, the linking of the Rosary and the Scapular is not formally reflected in Church doctrine.
Carmelite tradition has held that in 1251 the Virgin Mary made the "Scapular Promise" to St. Simon Stock regarding the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, namely: "whoever dies clothed in this habit shall not suffer the fires of Hell." The Sabbatine privilege
Sabbatine Privilege
The Sabbatine Privilege derived its name from the apocryphal Papal Bull Sacratissimo uti culmine of Pope John XXII, dated 3 March, 1322, according to which had the pope declared that the Mother of God appeared to him, and most urgently recommended to him the Carmelite Order and its confratres and...
, was associated with an apocryphal Papal Bull allegedly by Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
. The Vatican has denied the validity of this document but has given the Carmelites permission to preach that Mary's merits and intercession would help those "who have departed this life in charity, have worn in life the scapular, have ever observed chastity, have recited the Little Hours of the Blessed Virgin, or, if they cannot read, have observed the fast days of the Church, and have abstained from flesh meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays."
Catholic tradition holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary made fifteen specific promises
Fifteen rosary promises
A Roman Catholic legend states that through Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de Rupe the Blessed Virgin Mary made fifteen specific promises to Christians who pray the rosary. The fifteen stated promises range from protection from misfortune to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven...
to Christians who pray the rosary. The fifteen rosary promises
Fifteen rosary promises
A Roman Catholic legend states that through Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de Rupe the Blessed Virgin Mary made fifteen specific promises to Christians who pray the rosary. The fifteen stated promises range from protection from misfortune to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven...
range from protection from misfortune to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven. Lucia dos Santos, one of the three children who reported the Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
messages stated that: "There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary."
In his book The Power of the Rosary
The Power of the Rosary
The Power of the Rosary is a book on Catholic themes by Reverend Albert J. M. Shamon.The book revolves around the topic of Catholic beliefs on the power of prayer via the rosary. It builds on the fifteen rosary promises and extends the discussion to the present day...
Rev. Albert Shamon discusses the promises attributed to the rosary in various reported visions such as Our Lady of Fátima and Međugorje.
Parallel histories
Some scholarly sources question the authenticity of the apparition to Saint Dominic also.
Yet some authors lend their support to the vision of Saint Dominic.
Regardless of the scholarly debates about the exact date of the first appearance of either the Rosary or the Scapular, historical records indicate that devotions to both Sacramentals followed specific historical stages which included initial pre-Reformation introductions, promotion and growth as a response to the challenges of the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
and entertwined incidents such as being jointly recommended by the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
.
Early history
Carmelite tradition holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock at Cambridge, England in 1251 in answer to his appeal for help for his oppressed order and recommended the Brown Scapular to him. The Brown Scapular has clearly been a key element of Carmelite history since the late 13th century, for the Carmelite Constitution of 1294 considers it a serious fault to sleep without the scapular and the Constitution of 1369 stipulates automatic excommunication for Carmelites who say Mass without a scapular.According to some Catholic tradition, the rosary was given to Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
in an apparition by the Blessed Virgin Mary in the year 1214 in the church of Prouille
Prouille
Prouille or Prouilhe , "cradle of the Dominicans", where the first Dominican house, a convent, was founded in late 1206 or early 1207, is a hamlet in Languedoc, France, lying between Fanjeaux and Bram , at the point where the road from Castelnaudary to Limoux crosses the road from Bram to...
, the Marian apparition receiving the title of Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Rosary is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in relation to the rosary....
. However, many scholarly researchers suggests a more gradual and organic development of the rosary, and some even attribute it to Bl. Alanus de Rupe.
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
, in which the Christian side included the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
. Pope Pius V
Pope Pius V
Pope Saint Pius V , born Antonio Ghislieri , was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardization of the Roman liturgy within the Latin Church...
ordered Catholics to pray the Rosary prior to the battle, held a rosary procession in St. Peter's Square and then instituted the feast of "Our Lady of Victory" to commemorate the victory. Two years later Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
changed the title to "Feast of the Holy Rosary". Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
later changed the name of the feast to Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Rosary is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in relation to the rosary....
.
The introduction of the feast (and the accompanying implicit papal approval) allowed Catholic artists to depict the Rosary and in the 17th century, the Rosary began to appear as an element in key pieces of Roman Catholic Marian art
Roman Catholic Marian art
The Blessed Virgin Mary has been one of the major subjects of Christian Art, Catholic Art and Western Art for many centuries. Literally hundreds of thousands of pieces of...
, often in art that depicts the Virgin Mary, e.g. Murrillo
Bartolomé Estéban Murillo
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo was a Spanish Baroque painter. Although he is best known for his religious works, Murillo also produced a considerable number of paintings of contemporary women and children...
's Madonna with the Rosary at the Museo del Prado
Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of...
in Spain.
Other Scapulars and accompanying promises began to appear in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception that dated to 1617 was eventually granted a significant number of indulgences, and many graces were promised to those who would honor the Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
by wearing the Blue Scapular and live chastely according to their state in life.
The Carmelite tradition of the Sabbatine Privilege
Sabbatine Privilege
The Sabbatine Privilege derived its name from the apocryphal Papal Bull Sacratissimo uti culmine of Pope John XXII, dated 3 March, 1322, according to which had the pope declared that the Mother of God appeared to him, and most urgently recommended to him the Carmelite Order and its confratres and...
in the 16th century, coincided with the challenges faced by the Church in Rome with respect to the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
which had started in the early part of the 16th century. The Sabbatine Privilege's focus on the Purgatory, was viewed favorably by a number of Catholic preachers for it clarified the concept of Purgatory for the ordinary Catholics in Italy and was viewed as anti-Protestant. The introduction of the Sabbatine Privilege had a positive impact on the popularity of the Scapular, and the growth of the Carmelites, and over the centuries helped the devotion to the Scapular reach a height that the Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages called it "one of the main Marian devotions of Christendom".
18th and 19th centuries
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
ordered the feast of the Immaculata for the whole Church and the feast of the Rosary was introduced in 1716, with the feast of the Seven Sorrows following in 1727.
This period also witnessed a significant amount of growth in Marian confraternities. The approval of the Confraternity of the Scapular for every diocese throughout the Catholic world helped the spread of that devotion, reaching its culmination in 1726 via the extension of the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16) to the universal Church. Not only the Carmelites, but other orders such as the Servite established Scapular confraternities and received papal support for indulgences. These confraternities led to much popular support for the Scapular.
The beginning of the 18th century was also an important period for the future of the Rosary. The fact that a 27 year old Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was ordained to the priesthood in Paris in June 1700 was not in itself remarkable at the time. However, the writings of Montfort in the remaining 16 years of his life had a significant impact on the spread of the Rosary and influenced the Marian views of several popes who later continued to quote him in their encyclicals. Montfort's philosophy outlined in his book God Alone
God Alone
God Alone is the title of the collected writings of Saint Louis de Montfort, one of the leading figures in Roman Catholic Mariology.-Description:...
and his approach to the Rosary discussed in his book Secret of the Rosary
Secret of the Rosary
The Secret of the Rosary is a book about the Holy Rosary written by Saint Louis de Montfort a French priest and Catholic saint who died in 1716. The English translation of the book bears the Imprimatur of Archbishop Thomas E...
have been considered key elements of Marian spirituality by several popes.
The Confraternities of the Rosary also enjoyed a period of growth in the eighteenth century. A small number of such confraternities had started sometime in the fifteenth century, through the preachings of Blessed Alan de Rupe. Their numbers began to grow in the eighteenth century, largely under the supervision of the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
s, which also helped create a more uniform format for the Rosary. An important Apostolic Constitution on the Rosary Confraternity was issued by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
in 1898.
In the 19th century, the reported Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
(who carried a Rosary, and asked for the praying of the Rosary) gathered significant attention, and increased sensus fidelium
Sensus fidelium
The concept of sensus fidelium in Roman Catholic teachings can be implicitly traced back to the early Fathers of the Church...
, thereby providing momentum for the spread of the Rosary.
During the 19th century a number of other Scapulars were approved. The white Scapular of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
was approved by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
in 1877 and the white Scapular of Our Lady of Good Counsel received the approval of Leo XIII in 1893 for the purpose of invoking Mary's guidance upon its wearer. The black Scapular of Our Lady Help of the Sick, (for the Confraternity founded by St. Camillus de Lellis) was approved by Pius IX. in 1860.
20th century
The beginnings of the 20th century witnessed growth for Catholic Mariology and was dominated by a genuine Marian enthusiasm both at the papal and popular levels. In 1904, in the first year of his Pontificate, Pope Pius XPope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
established the dogma of Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
with the encyclical Ad Diem Illum
Ad Diem Illum
Ad diem Illum Laetissimum is an encyclical of Saint Pope Pius X on the Immaculate Conception, Given at Rome in St. Peter's on the second day of February, 1904, in the first year of his Pontificate. It is issued in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate conception...
. The papal enthuusiasm culminated in the Dogma of the Assumption by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
in 1950.
Rosary based prayers
Rosary-based prayers are mostly Roman Catholic prayers said on a set of rosary beads. These prayers recite specific word sequences on different parts of the rosary beads. They may be directed at Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary or The Father...
were introduced with different formats and with more of a Christocentric tone. The Rosary of the Holy Wounds which focuses on the Wounds of Jesus was introduced by Venerable Marie Martha Chambon
Marie Martha Chambon
Marie Martha Chambon was a lay Roman Catholic nun known for introducing the Rosary of the Holy Wounds.- Biography :She was a member of the Monastery of the Visitation Order who lived in Chambéry, France...
, a nun in France who died in 1907, and who had reported visions of Jesus
Visions of Jesus and Mary
Since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions of Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited...
as early as 1866. Another rosary based prayer that eventually gained significant following was the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy is a Roman Catholic devotion based on the visions of Jesus reported by Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska , known as "the Apostle of Mercy." She was a Polish sister of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and canonized as a Catholic saint in 2000.Faustina...
by Faustina Kowalska who also reported visions of Jesus and Mary
Visions of Jesus and Mary
Since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions of Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited...
in 1935 and was later declared a saint.
The spread of the devotion to both the Rosary and the Scapular was influenced by Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
reported by three Portuguese children in 1917. The reported Fatima messages place a strong emphasis on the Rosary and in them the Virgin Mary was identified as The Lady of the Rosary. The visions and messages also encouraged the wearing of the Brown Scapular. When one of the Fátima visionaries Lucia Santos
Lúcia Santos
Lúcia de Jesus dos Santos – Sister Mary Lucy of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart, better known as Sister Lúcia of Fátima – was a Roman Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun from Portugal...
was later asked why the Virgin Mary had appeared with the Brown Scapular in the last public vision at Fátima, Santos replied:
"She meant that all Catholics should wear the Scapular as part of the Fátima message. One could not follow this message unless he or she wore the Brown Scapular.
The entrance to the Fátima Sanctuary, to the south of the rectory, is a segment of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
intended to emphasize the belief that the Rosary prayers influenced the fall of the Berlin Wall related to the Consecration of Russia
Consecration of Russia
The Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a belief in the Roman Catholic Church that a specific act of consecration on the part of the Pope has been required by the Virgin Mary in return for which there would be world peace....
based on the Fátima messages.
In the 18th and 19th centuries the Rosary and Scapular Confraternities with thousands of members grew the devotion to these Sacramentals. In the 20th century, Marian organizations with millions of members performed a similar task. The Legion of Mary
Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary is an association of Catholic laity who serve the Church on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, as a Roman Catholic Marian Movement by layman Frank Duff. Today between active and auxiliary members there are in excess of 10 million members worldwide making it...
was formed in Ireland in 1921 and currently has three million active members and ten million auxiliary members. Each meeting of the Legion includes praying the Rosary, and the Legion encourages members to partake in Marian prayers and increase their devotion to the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
.
The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima
Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima
The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fátima is a public international association of the Christian faithful that has as its general purpose "the promotion of the authentic teaching of the Roman Catholic Church and the strict adherence to the tenets of the Gospel; the personal sanctification of adherents...
was formed in 1946 in the United States and through "Scapular Magazine" helped enroll one million Americans to pray the Rosary based on the Fátima messages regarding the Consecration of Russia
Consecration of Russia
The Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a belief in the Roman Catholic Church that a specific act of consecration on the part of the Pope has been required by the Virgin Mary in return for which there would be world peace....
. The Blue Army eventually reached a larger audience of several million members.
The 20th century also witnessed unprecedented growth in the number of volunteer-based lay Marian devotional organizations for the free distribution of Sacramentals such as the Rosary. For example Our Lady's Rosary Makers
Our Lady's Rosary Makers
Our Lady's Rosary Makers is a non-profit apostolate in Louisville, Kentucky, dedicated to spreading devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary. Its 17,000 members, in the U.S. and other countries, make and distribute roughly 7 million cord and chain rosaries annually for missions around the...
which was formed with a $25 donation for a typewriter in 1949 now has about twenty thousand volunteers who have distributed hundreds of millions of free rosaries to Catholic missions worldwide.
The only change to the fundamental structure of the Rosary in the last 1500 years happened in 2002 when Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
introduced the Luminous Mysteries. The Luminous Mysteries consider Christ’s public ministry from the time of his baptism to his Passion and fill the gap in the previous mysteries. To celebrate the 25th year of his papacy, John Paul II issued his encyclical Rosarium Virginis Mariae
Rosarium Virginis Mariae
Rosarium Virginis Mariae is the title of an Apostolic Letter by Pope John Paul II, issued on October 16, 2002. This Apostlic Letter deals with the Holy Rosary and views it as compendium of the Gospel message:...
, encouraged Catholics to pray the Rosary more often and announced a "Year of the Rosary". He stated that he declared the twelve months from October 2002 to October 2003 The Year of the Rosary in order to: "Put my 25th anniversary under the contemplation of Christ at the school of Mary".
Mariology
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries...
and the Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception
Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception
This devotional scapular traces its roots to Venerable Ursula Benincasa, who founded the Roman Catholic Order of Theatine Nuns. This scapular must have a blue woollen cloth and on one side bears a symbolization of the Immaculate Conception and on the other the name of the Blessed Virgin...
relate to Marian devotions and consecrations.
The official teachings of the Catholic Church indicate that the Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel is one of the most highly recommended Marian devotions. This has been the case through the centuries, and more recently with popes such as Paul VI and John Paul II. Devotion to the Virgin Mary expressed by wearing the Brown Scapular developed over time and has proven to be resilient through the centuries. It has resisted attempts made in various points in history to diminish its value, and the faithful have kept coming back to it. Although the Carmelite constitution of 1281 prescribed that the Scapular should be worn to bed under penalty of a serious fault, the initial reason was not entirely Marian. At the time, the Scapular was seen as signifying the "yoke of Christ" which signified obedience and removing it was like removing the yoke of Christ, i.e. rebelling against authority. However, over time the Scapular took an increasingly Marian tone, became identified with Carmelite piety toward The Virgin Mary and the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel began to be called the Scapular feast. .
Basis and grace
The Mariological basis of the Scapular devotion is effectively the same as Marian consecration, as discussed in the dogmatic constitution Lumen GentiumLumen Gentium
Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on November 21, 1964, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,151 to 5...
of Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
, namely the role of the Virgin Mary as "the mother to us in the order of grace" and Mediatrix
Mediatrix
Mediatrix in Roman Catholic Mariology refers to the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a mediator in the salvation process. It is a separate concept from Co-Redemptrix....
of all graces which allows her to intercede for "the gift of eternal salvation". Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
, also known as the Rosary Pope, presented a similar Mariological view in his encyclical
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
s Supremi Apostolatus Officio
Supremi Apostolatus Officio
Supremi Apostolatus Officio is an encyclical on the Rosary by Pope Leo XIII, also known as the Rosary Pope.It was issued on September 1st, 1883 in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome.-Sources:* Vatican website: Supremi Apostolatus Officio...
and Octobri Mense
Octobri Mense
Octobri Mense is an encyclical on the Rosary by Pope Leo XIII, also known as the Rosary Pope. It was issued on 22 September 1891 in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome.-Sources:* Vatican website: Octobri Mense...
, that were devoted to the Rosary, in which he called the Virgin Mary the mediator of peace with God and stated that she was the "dispenser of all Heavenly graces."
As stated by Christian P. Ceroke:
"The wearing of the Scapular fosters a true devotion to Mary that is based on her supernatural mission in the redemption of mankind. Two Marian doctrines are proposed in the devotion of the Brown Scapular: Mary's Spiritual Maternity and her Mediation of Grace."
In his 2002 Apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae
Rosarium Virginis Mariae
Rosarium Virginis Mariae is the title of an Apostolic Letter by Pope John Paul II, issued on October 16, 2002. This Apostlic Letter deals with the Holy Rosary and views it as compendium of the Gospel message:...
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
expressed a similar Mariologiical sentiment with respect to the grace obtained from the Rosary:
- "Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer."
Papal endorsements
The Rosary and the Scapular have received papal endorsements through the centuries. Pope Leo XIII (the Rosary Pope) was concerned about attempts to destroy the faith in Christ, and, if possible, to ban him from the face of the earth. The destruction of the ethical order would then lead to disaster and war, so Leo XIII dedicated the human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. But in his analysis (based on the writings of Louis de MontfortLouis de Montfort
St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was canonized in 1947. He was a French priest and known in his time as a preacher and author, whose books, still widely read, have influenced a number of popes....
who was beatified by Leo XIII) the re-Christianisation was not possible without Mary. So Leo XIII promulgated Marian devotions via ten encyclicals on the Rosary and instituted the Catholic custom of daily rosary prayer during the month of October. In 1883 he also created the Feast of Queen of the Holy Rosary.
Leo XIII also approved a number of Scapulars. In 1885 he approved the Scapular of the Holy Face
Scapular of the Holy Face
This Scapular of the Holy Face is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular based on the devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus.This scapular is also known as The Veronica based on the association of the Holy Face of Jesus with Saint Veronica...
, (also known as The Veronica) and elevated the Priests of the Holy Face to an archconfraternity. He also approved the Scapular of Our Lady of Good Counsel
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Our Lady of Good Counsel is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, after an allegedly miraculous painting now found in the thirteenth century Augustinian church at Genazzano, near Rome, Italy. Measuring 40 by 45 centimeters the image is a fresco executed on a thin layer of porcelain no thicker...
and the Scapular of St. Joseph
Scapular of St. Joseph
The Scapular of Saint Joseph is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular that traces its roots to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in St. Claude in France and was initially in white. It was later approved for the Diocese of Verona by the Congregation of Rites in 1880...
, both in 1893, and the Scapular of the Sacred Heart
Scapular of the Sacred Heart
This Scapular of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular that can be traced back to Saint Margaret Marie Alacoque who herself made and distributed badges similar to it. They were then made of a small piece of white woollen cloth, with a red image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus...
in 1900.
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
encouraged the wearing of Scapulars and said: "The Sabbatine Privilege is the greatest of all privileges of the Mother of God, even extending after death"
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
stated that:
Scapular is essentially a habit which evokes the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary in this life and in the passage to the fullness of eternal glory.
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
stated that he received his own first Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel at age ten when his Marian devotion was taking shape and he continued to wear it into his papacy. When he gained consciousness before being operated on to remove the bullet that wounded him in St. Peter's Square on 13 May 1981 he instructed the doctors not to remove his Brown Scapular during the operation.
Role of the saints
A number of saints have been associated with the Rosary and the Scapular. St. Louis de MontfortLouis de Montfort
St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was canonized in 1947. He was a French priest and known in his time as a preacher and author, whose books, still widely read, have influenced a number of popes....
, who in the 18th century was but an unknown young priest, is widely known for his promotion of the Rosary, and his influence on the Mariological thinking of popes such as Leo XIII, Pius XII and John Paul II. His books God Alone
God Alone
God Alone is the title of the collected writings of Saint Louis de Montfort, one of the leading figures in Roman Catholic Mariology.-Description:...
and the Secret of the Rosary
Secret of the Rosary
The Secret of the Rosary is a book about the Holy Rosary written by Saint Louis de Montfort a French priest and Catholic saint who died in 1716. The English translation of the book bears the Imprimatur of Archbishop Thomas E...
are classics in Marian spirituality and are referred to in papal encyclicals. St. Louis de Montfort developed specific methods of praying the rosary
Methods of praying the rosary
Five methods of praying the rosary are presented within the works of Saint Louis de Montfort, a French Roman Catholic priest and writer of the early 18th century. Montfort was an early proponent of Mariology, and much of his work is devoted to the subjects of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the rosary...
to help the meditative process and emphasized the need for purity of intention, attention and reverence in prayers.
St. Theresa of Avila, St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. John of the Cross
John of the Cross
John of the Cross , born Juan de Yepes Álvarez, was a major figure of the Counter-Reformation, a Spanish mystic, Catholic saint, Carmelite friar and priest, born at Fontiveros, Old Castile....
were all Carmelites and wore the monastic Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries...
. St. Alphonsus Liguori
Alphonsus Liguori
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori was an Italian Catholic bishop, spiritual writer, scholastic philosopher and theologian, and founder of the Redemptorists, an influential religious congregation...
of the Redemptorists and St. John Bosco
John Bosco
John Bosco , was an Italian Catholic priest, educator and writer of the 19th century, who put into practice the convictions of his religion, dedicating his life to the betterment and education of street children, juvenile delinquents, and other disadvantaged youth and employing teaching methods...
of the Salesians had a very special devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries...
, and were both buried wearing their Brown Scapulars. St. John Bosco's Brown Scapular was later exhumed in very good condition and is kept as a relic at the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, Turin.
Saint Claude de la Colombière
Claude de la Colombière
Saint Claude de la Colombière was a Roman Catholic priest and the confessor of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. His feast day is the day of his death, 15 February...
, the confessor of Saint Margaret-Marie Alacoque, had a strong devotion to the Brown Scapular and considered it one the most favorite and effective Marian devotions. He also stated that:
"If a person wants to die in his sins, he will die in his sins, but he will not die wearing the Brown Scapular"
suggesting that stubborn sinners will somehow be separated from their Brown Scapulars.
In the 20th century, St. Faustina Kowalska introduced a new Rosary form with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy is a Roman Catholic devotion based on the visions of Jesus reported by Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska , known as "the Apostle of Mercy." She was a Polish sister of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and canonized as a Catholic saint in 2000.Faustina...
and is also quoted by the Vatican and John Paul II.
Meditative basis
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
said of the Brown Scapular: "Let it be your sign of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
". And in his encyclical Ingruentium Malorum
Ingruentium Malorum
Ingruentium Malorum is an encyclical of Pope Pius XII on reciting the rosary, issued on September 15, 1951, the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary.-Contents:...
on the Rosary Pius XII stated:
"And truly, from the frequent meditation on the Mysteries, the soul little by little and imperceptibly draws and absorbs the virtues they contain, and is wondrously enkindled with a longing for things immortal, and becomes strongly and easily impelled to follow the path which Christ Himself and His Mother have followed."
Although Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
is best known for his devotion to the Rosary, he also wore a Brown Scapular since age ten and stated that he viewed the Scapular as a "habit" to orient one's Christian life:
"The sign of the Scapular points to an effective synthesis of Marian spirituality, which nourishes the devotion of believers and makes them sensitive to the Virgin Mother's loving presence in their lives... devotion to her cannot be limited to prayers and tributes in her honor on certain occasions, but must become a "habit", that is, a permanent orientation of one's own Christian conduct."
Author Mark Miravalle relates the meditative and devotional aspects of the Rosary and the Scapular via Montfortian spirituality
Louis de Montfort
St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was canonized in 1947. He was a French priest and known in his time as a preacher and author, whose books, still widely read, have influenced a number of popes....
. He states that the Scapular is an external and physical symbol of perpetual Marian devotion that acknowledges her intercessory role throughout this life and in purification in Purgatory. He thus views the Scapular as a physical symbol of Marian consecration, based on the Montfortean formula:
"...to do all our actions by Mary, with Mary, in Mary and for Mary so that we may do them all the more perfectly by Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus and for Jesus..."
The wearing of a Scapular has been viewed as constant meditation by Bishop Leo De Goesbriand:
"Wherever I am, whatever I am doing, Mary never sees me without seeing upon my body an evidence of my devotion to her."
From a venerative viewpoint, Father Etienne Richer points out that the Rosary and the Scapular as the key Sacramentals that harmonize with Catholic Liturgy in the meditative process of the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
See also
- RosaryRosaryThe rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
- ScapularScapularThe term scapular as used today refers to two specific, yet related, Christian Sacramentals, namely the monastic and devotional scapulars, although both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular"....
- Roman Catholic Mariology
Sources
- Garry Wills, 2005, The Rosary, Viking Press, ISBN 0-670-03449-5
- Augusta Drane, 1998, The Life of St. Dominic, TAN Books, ISBN 0-89555-336-8
- Kevin Johnson, 1999, Rosary: Mysteries, Meditations, and the Telling of the Beads Pangaeus Press ISBN 0-9653660-1-4
- John Paul II, 1999, Mysteries of Light, Meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary Ligouri Publications, ISBN 0-7648-1060-X
- John Paul II, 2002, The Rosary Hour Simon and Shuster, ISBN 0-7434-7061-3