Monastic scapular in white hooded scapulars, by
Francisco de Zurbarán, 1630–1635 Today, the monastic scapular is part of the garb, the
habit, of many Christian
religious orders, of both
monks and
nuns. It is an outer garment about the width of the chest, from shoulder to shoulder. It hangs down in the front and back almost to the feet, but is open on the sides (it was originally joined by straps at the waist). It is related to the
analavos worn in the
Eastern tradition. Historically, the monastic scapular was at times referred to as
scutum (i.e. shield), as it was laid over the head, which it originally covered and protected with one portion (from which the hood afterwards developed). from Argentina wearing their characteristic brown scapular over their tunics Over the centuries the religious orders adapted the basic scapular as they considered appropriate for themselves, as a result of which there are now several distinct designs, colors, shapes and lengths in use. The
Carthusians and others attached a hood to their scapular for the monks, rather than keeping the former a separate item of their habit, while some, like the
friars of the
Dominicans or the
Carmelites, wear it beneath another layer, like a shoulder cape or capuce (that is, the "hood"). The color selection could change over time; for instance, prior to 1255, the
Augustinian scapulars for novices were black and those of the lay brethren were white, but thereafter all scapulars but those of the lay brethren had to be white. In some cases the monastic scapular was used to distinguish the rank or level of the wearer within a religious order. In some
Byzantine monastic practices, two levels of fully professed monk or nun exist: those of the "little habit" and those other of the "great habit", these being more senior and not having to do manual labor. In these cases, the "great habit" was simply distinguished from the "little habit" by the addition of a scapular decorated with the
instruments of the Passion. Just as the stole is the vestment that came to mark the office of a priest, the monastic scapular became the equivalent for those in the monastic life and even today, a long scapular identifies its wearer as a member of a religious order.
Non-monastic reduced scapular Some authors suggest that the tradition of wearing a reduced form of a non-monastic scapular started in the 11th century with
Saint Peter Damian and the monastic scapular was gradually transformed from an item of clothing that was part of the habit of monks and nuns to a smaller item that expressed devotion by individuals, called
oblates, who lived in the world, but wished to be affiliated with a monastery. In the
Middle Ages, it became common for Christian faithful to share in the spirituality of the new
mendicant orders in an auxiliary sense, sometimes called
Third Orders, because they were founded after the initial orders of the friars and nuns. Although these people (called Tertiaries) were permitted to wear the religious garment of a Tertiary, because they had not taken
religious vows they were not usually permitted to wear the full habit of the order. With time, it was considered a high honor and great privilege to be granted a small cloth attached by bands which would be worn over the torso in the same manner as the full monastic scapular.
Confraternities came to be formed in which people would be granted the wearing of this item as a mark of their sharing in the good works of a particular order. Among the
Franciscans, they were known as
Cordbearers, due to their also wearing a small cord around the waist in imitation of the one worn by the
friar. After the disruptions of religious life during the period of the
French Revolution and the
Napoleonic invasions of France and Italy, wearing of the tertiary habit became prohibited. Thus it eventually became common that a smaller form of an order's scapular would be bestowed upon the non-monastic. Rather than a full length of cloth, it consisted of two rectangles (several inches wide, and much larger than a modern devotional scapular) of wool joined by bands in some fashion. These are still worn today by the "Third Order" members of the Franciscans, Carmelites, and Dominicans. In order to gain the benefits of the order, the members must wear these scapulae constantly. However, in 1883 in his
Constitution On the Law of the Franciscan Third Order, called
Misericors Dei Filius,
Pope Leo XIII declared that wearing either these medium-sized scapulae of the Third Orders or the miniature forms of the smaller devotional scapular entitled the wearer equally to gain the indulgences associated with the order. Some religious orders still give a short version (sometimes called the "reduced scapular", but this usage is archaic) of their large scapular to non-monastics that are spiritually affiliated with them. Such short scapulars are designed to be unobtrusive and can be worn under regular clothing at home and at work.
Devotional scapular Devotional scapulars are objects of popular piety, primarily worn by
Catholics, as well as some
Anglicans and
Lutherans, 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. 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. 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. Devotional scapulars and the indulgences attached to them grew along with the growth of Catholic confraternities during the 17th and 18th centuries. statue in
Chile with a Brown Scapular, an example of the use of the scapular in
Marian art. The fact that specific promises and
indulgences were attached to the wearing of scapulars helped increase their following, as was seen with the early example of the
Brown Scapular. This promise was based on the
Carmelite tradition that the
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. 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. 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. During the 19th century, a number of other scapulars were approved. 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.The green Scapular of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary was approved by
Pope Pius IX in 1877. 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. 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. 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. In 1611, the
Servite Order's confraternity and their Black
Scapular of the Seven Sorrows of Mary received indulgences from
Pope Paul V. 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". In the United States "Scapular Magazine" helped enroll one million Americans to pray the Rosary based on the Fatima messages. 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
Marian devotions and consecrations.
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. ==List of scapulars==