![]() Simon Stock in 1251, the scapular was worn by many and varied religious orders as an apron to protect the tunic when working. Until Our Lady of Mount Carmel appeared to St. The scapular can best be recognized as the brown rectangular piece of fabric that hangs down the monk's front and back, covering the tunic and hiding the monk's hands folded beneath. The Scapular is truly the “garment of salvation”, although it is humble even in its appearance. His head being covered in the brown wool and his face hidden unless you look directly at him, the monastic cowl also serves to hide the monk so that God alone might know his countenance. The Holy Rule exhorts the Carmelite to “place the helmet of salvation on head,” and this is what the Carmelite does every time he covers his head with the cowl. The cowl is a reminder of Christ's Dolorous Passion on Calvary for sinners, a death that He would have endured had there been but one poor sinner. The word “monk” is derived from Greek words meaning “one who mourns in solitude.” So what does a monk mourn? The Carmelite monks mourn for their own sins and the sins of others, begging for God's mercy and justice. Although the cowl serves a practical purpose in keeping the monk's shaven head warm, the cowl is more importantly a sign of mourning. The monk wears a monastic cowl that hangs over his upper back and is used to cover his head during the winter months. The cowl (sometimes known as a capuche, especially for friars) is the hood worn by the Carmelite monks. The monk has his spiritual weapons around his waist like a cowboy or a soldier, the Carmelite monk must always be prepared for spiritual warfare with the virtue of holy purity and the power of the Rosary of the Virgin Mother. On the left from the cincture hangs the Most Holy Rosary. The Carmelite monk's cincture hangs on the right to the bottom hem of his tunic. ![]() The Carmelite does not marry or have natural children that he might have instead as spiritual children all the souls whom God places before him, both known and unknown. Joseph, the monk girds his loins in chastity. ![]() In imitation of Our Lady's virginal purity and that of St. How prophetic are the words spoken by the prior when the monk receives the cincture, “When you were younger, you would gird yourself, and would walk where you willed but since you will be older, another will gird thee.” This mysterious “another” is the Blessed Virgin whom the monk takes not only as his Heavenly Mother, but also mystically as his sister and greatest love among men. Albert, the legislator of the Carmelite Rule, prescribes that the monk's "loins must be girt with the belt of chastity." The cincture is just that, a leather belt that the monk ties over the tunic at the waist. Your browser does not support HTML5 video. ![]()
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