I obtained this “necklace” many years ago when I was attending sunday school. All that I know of it is that it’s blessed and may have something to do with nuns. Any information of what it is and what it is used for would be greatly appreciated.
The left image depicts a woman holding a child.
OUR LADY OF Mt CARMEL Pray for us
The right image depicts a man bowing to a woman and child.
St SIMON STOCK Pray for us
img171.imageshack.us/img171/2635/bild0117lp6.th.jpg
That is a scapular, more specifically the
Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (there are many scapulars out there, and this is just one of them).
You’re correct that this scapular is connected with a religious order, though that order is not only composed of nuns, but monks as well. That religious order is the
Carmelites (official name:
Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel).
Originally, a scapular (from Latin
scapula, shoulder) meant a length of cloth suspended both front and back from the shoulders of the wearer, that varies in shape, color, size and style depending on the use to which it is being put, namely whether in Christian monasticism or in Christian devotion.
http://www.carmelitemonks.org/images/KneelingwhiteMonk.jpg
The above picture is that of a Carmelite monk. Below his white mantle, you can see a brown apron-like piece of cloth covering his robe (tunic) and his arms; that is the monastic scapular. The monastic scapular is part of the garb, the habit, of many Christian religious orders, of both monks and nuns. In its basic form it is a shoulder-wide floor-length piece of cloth, a sort of apron covering front and back, and worn over the traditional tunic or cassock, almost like a sleeveless surcoat, traditionally in the case of some orders even during the night.
By the way, the ‘woman with child’ is a depiction of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (holding the child Jesus while carrying scapulars) and the ‘man’ is St.
Simon Stock, a medieval English monk to whom, according to tradition, Our Lady gave the Brown Scapular.
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/5861/ourladymtcarmel5op5.jpg
The above painting shows Our Lady giving the scapular to St. Simon Stock (the man on the right).
