Solemn Commemoration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

July 16: Celebrated as a Solemnity with proper texts.

The Sacred Scriptures speak of the beauty of Mount Carmel where the Prophet Elijah defended the faith of Israel in the living God. There, at the beginning of the thirteenth century, under the title of "Saint Mary of Mount Carmel" the Order of Carmelites had its formal beginning. From the fourteenth century this title, recalling the countless blessings of its patroness, began to be solemnly celebrated, first in England and then gradually throughout the whole Order. It attained its supreme place from the beginning of the seventeenth century when the General Chapter declared it to be the principal feast of the Order, and Paul V recognised it as the feast of the Scapular Confraternity.

Prayer

Lord God,

you willed that the Order of Carmel

should be named in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of your Son.

Through her prayers as we honour her today

bring us to your holy Mountain,

Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

One God, for ever and ever.

Scripture Readings

1Kings 18:42b-45a; Galatians 4:4-7; Gospel - John 19:25-27.

Liturgy for the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The Gentle Presence Of Mary - A Reflection for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Texts taken from the “Carmelite Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours,”

Institutum Carmelitanum, Rome: 1993.

Image courtesy of the Carmelnet webmaster, USA.