Editing Scapular (section)

===Devotional scapular===
{{Scapular}}Devotional scapulars are objects of popular piety, primarily worn by [[Roman Catholic]]s, as well as some [[Anglicans]] and [[Lutheran]]s, designed to show the wearer's pledge to a confraternity, a saint, or a way of life, as well as reminding the wearer of that promise.<ref name="Southwest">{{cite book|title=Anglo-Catholic Catechism (Catechismus Meridionalis-Occidentalis)|publisher=Anglo-Catholic Archdiocese of the Southwest|isbn=9780557185399|page=117}}</ref> Some devotional scapulars bear images, or verses from scripture.  
Devotional scapulars typically consist of two rectangular pieces of cloth, wool or other fabric that are connected by bands. One rectangle hangs over the chest of the wearer, while the other rests on the back, with the bands running over the shoulders. Some scapulars have extra bands running under the arms and connecting the rectangles to prevent them from getting dislodged underneath the wearer's top layer of clothes.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

The roots of devotional scapulars can be traced to the gathering of laity into confraternities for spiritual direction, whereby the faithful would be assigned some badge or token of affiliation and devotion. The image or message on the scapular usually reflects the order's focus, tradition or favored devotion.<ref>Francis de Zulueta, 2008, ''Early Steps In The Fold: Instructions for Converts, and Enquirers'', Miller Press, {{ISBN|978-1-4086-6003-4}} page 300</ref> Devotional scapulars and the indulgences attached to them grew along with the growth of Catholic confraternities during the 17th and 18th centuries. 


The fact that specific promises and [[indulgence]]s were attached to the wearing of scapulars helped increase their following, as was seen with the early example of the [[Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel|Brown Scapular]], habit of the [[Carmelite]]s.<ref>Henry Charles Lea, 2002, ''A History of Auricular Confession and Indulgences in the Latin Church'', Adamant Media Corp. {{ISBN|1-4021-6108-5}} page 263</ref> This promise was based on the [[Carmelite]] tradition that the [[BVM(RC)|Blessed Virgin Mary]] appeared to [[St. Simon Stock]] at [[Cambridge, England]], in 1251 in answer to his appeal for help for his oppressed order and recommended the Brown Scapular of [[Our Lady of Mount Carmel]] to him and promised salvation for the faithful who wore it piously.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/19990427232320/http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/brown_scapular.htm Donovan STL, Colin. "Brown Scapular", EWTN]</ref><ref>Matthew Bunson, 2008, ''The Catholic Almanac'', {{ISBN|978-1-59276-441-9}} page 155</ref><ref>Gerald M. Costello, 2001, ''Treasury of Catholic Stories'', OSV Press, {{ISBN|978-0-87973-979-9}}, page 128</ref><ref name=catholic>{{catholic|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13508b.htm|title=Scapular|inline=1|last=Hilgers|first=Joseph|volume=13|year=1912|access-date=22 December 2013}}</ref> Regardless of the scholarly debates regarding the exact origin of the Brown Scapular, it is clear that it has been a part of the Carmelite habit since the late 13th century.
[[File:Virgen del Carmen.JPG|thumb|200px|[[Our Lady of Mount Carmel]] statue in [[Chile]] with a Brown Scapular, an example of the use of the scapular in [[Roman Catholic Marian art|Marian art.]]]]

The [[Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception]] that dates to 1617 was eventually granted a significant number of indulgences, and many graces were promised to those who would honor the [[Immaculate Conception]] by wearing the Blue Scapular and live chastely according to their state in life. In 1885 [[Pope Leo XIII]] approved the [[Scapular of the Holy Face]] (also known as ''The Veronica''), and elevated the ''Priests of the Holy Face'' to an [[archconfraternity]].<ref>Henry Charles Lea, 2002, A History of Auricular Confession and Indulgences in the Latin Church, Adamant Media Corp. {{ISBN|1-4021-6108-5}} page 506</ref> He also approved the Scapular of [[Our Lady of Good Counsel]] and the [[Scapular of St. Joseph]], both in 1893, and the [[Scapular of the Sacred Heart]] in 1900.<ref>Francis de Zulueta, 2008, ''Early Steps In The Fold'', Miller Press, {{ISBN|978-1-4086-6003-4}} page 317</ref> In 1611, the [[Servite Order]]'s confraternity and their Black [[Scapular of the Seven Sorrows of Mary]] received indulgences from [[Pope Paul V]].<ref>Henry Charles Lea, 2002, ''A History of Auricular Confession and Indulgences in the Latin Church'', Adamant Media Corp. {{ISBN|1-4021-6108-5}} page 469</ref>

During the 19th century, a number of other Scapulars were approved. The green Scapular of the [[Immaculate Heart of Mary]] was approved by [[Pope Pius IX]] in 1877 and the white [[Scapular of Our Lady of Good Counsel]] received the approval of [[Leo XIII]] in 1893 for the purpose of invoking Mary's guidance upon its wearer. The black Scapular of Our Lady Help of the Sick, (for the Confraternity founded by [[St. Camillus de Lellis]]) was approved by Pius IX in 1860. In 1863 he also approved the [[Green Scapular]], which is not from a Confraternity but an image inspired by a vision of the Blessed Mother experienced by Sr. Justine Bisqueyburu from the [[Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul]].{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

By the early 20th century the devotional scapular had gained such a strong following among Catholics worldwide that Joseph Hilgers, in the [[Catholic Encyclopedia]] of 1912 stated: "Like the rosary, [the Brown Scapular] has become the badge of the devout Catholic".<ref name=catholic/> In the 1917 reported apparitions of [[Our Lady of Fátima]] the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared "with a Rosary in one hand and a scapular in the other". [[Lúcia Santos|Sister Lúcia]] (one of the three Fátima children visionaries) stated that the Virgin Mary told her: "''The Rosary and the Scapular are inseparable''".<ref>Thomas W. Petrisk, 1998, ''The Fatima Prophecies'', St. Andrews Press, {{ISBN|978-1-891903-30-4}} page 345</ref><ref>[[Lucia Santos]], 1976, ''Fatima in Lucia's Own Words'', Ravengate Press {{ISBN|0-911218-10-6}}</ref> In the United States "Scapular Magazine" helped enroll one million Americans to pray the Rosary based on the Fatima messages.<ref>Eli Lederhendler, 2006 ''Jews, Catholics, and the Burden of History'' Oxford University Press {{ISBN|0-19-530491-8}} page 98</ref>

While a number of scapulars (e.g. the [[Scapular of the Holy Face]], also known as ''The Veronica'') are entirely Christocentric, the most widespread scapulars (including the Brown Scapular of [[Our Lady of Mount Carmel]] and the Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception) relate to [[Roman Catholic Mariology|Marian devotion]]s and consecrations.<ref>[[Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20051219050121/http://www.padrimariani.org/en/laity/conf_history.html]</ref> [[John Paul II]] stated that he received his first Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel at age ten when his Marian devotion was taking shape and he continued to wear it into his papacy.<ref>[[Pope John Paul II]], 1996, ''Gift And Mystery'', Doubleday Books {{ISBN|978-0-385-40966-7}} page 28</ref>