Our Lady of Mount Carmel feast observed worldwide on July 16

The Catholic Church commemorates the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16. The celebration honors the Blessed Virgin Mary as patron of the Carmelite Order and recalls the 1251 appearance of Mary to the English Carmelite St. Simon Stock, who received the brown scapular as a sign of her protection. The tradition links the mountain of Carmel in Israel, where the prophet Elijah ministered, to the origins of Carmelite monastic life.

The devotion is observed in many countries, with churches offering the scapular to the faithful and recalling promises of salvation for its wearers. Historical accounts note papal recognitions of the scapular in the 20th century and its spread from its early roots in the Holy Land to churches across Europe and the world.