The Brown Scapular: History and Promise
MyPrayerTower Team
March 27, 2024
6 min read
Blessings...
Blessings...
The Brown Scapular is one of the most popular sacramentals in the Catholic Church. It is a sign of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and a powerful protection against the fires of hell.
In 1251, Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock, the Prior General of the Carmelite Order, in Cambridge, England. She handed him a brown woolen scapular and said:
"Receive, my beloved son, this habit of thy order... Whosoever dies clothed in this shall not suffer eternal fire."
This promise is not a "get out of jail free" card. It means that Mary will intercede for the person to receive the grace of final perseverance—meaning they will die in a state of grace (friendship with God) or will be given the grace of repentance before death.
There is a secondary tradition that Mary will descend into Purgatory on the Saturday after the wearer's death to release them. To obtain this, one must:
Any priest can enroll you in the Brown Scapular. It involves a short blessing and the placing of the scapular over your shoulders. Once enrolled, you are a member of the Scapular Confraternity for life. If your scapular breaks, you just buy a new one—you don't need to be re-enrolled.
It must be worn over the shoulders, with one part hanging in the front and one in the back. It is a silent prayer, a constant reminder that we belong to Mary.