The scapular is a symbol object of the Catholic Christian religion, which consists of two images, one of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and the other of Our Lady, and has the meaning of physical and spiritual "protection". The scapular is traditionally made of cloth, but nowadays it is found in various forms: scapulars made of gold, silver, bronze or even wood.
The word scapular came from the Latin scapula, which means "armor" or "protection", also referring to the region of the shoulder and scapula, bone located in the region of the shoulders and above the human thorax.
The use of the scapular, for Catholics, symbolizes an act of devotion to the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ.
Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
According to Catholic history, the Carmo's scapular emerged in a period of adversity and danger for the Carmelite Order, of which the monk belonged Simon Stock, a great devotee of the Mother of God, Our Lady Virgin Mary.
The Order of Carmelites (who lived in the community of Mount Carmel, in Palestine, from which the name "Carmelite" derives) it ran the risk of not being accepted by European Catholics and the members would be expelled forever from the Church. In a moment of despair, Simon Stock begged the Virgin Mary to give a physical and visible sign of her protection. According to legend, Our Lady appeared and gave Simon the scapular, announced that the it would be a symbol of devotion and protection, and those who wore it would be saved from the "fire of perdition".
The appearance of the figure of Our Lady to the monk made her known as the Virgin of Mount Carmel or Our Lady of Mount Carmel.