Pietro Novelli, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Carmelite Saints (Simon Stock (standing), Angelus of Jerusalem (kneeling), Mary Magdalene de'Pazzi, Teresa of Avila), 1641 (Museo Diocesano, Palermo.). |
The 16th of May is the feast day of Saint Simon Stock. He is the patron saint of Bordeaux, France.
Saint Simon Stock lived between 1165 to 1265. He was born in Kent, England and he was drawn to God as a child. He lived as a hermit at the age of 12 living in the hollow of an oak tree. He spent his life this way for 2 decades, after which, he entered the world again in order to study theology and become a priest. When his studies finished, he went back to his hermitage. Our Lady appeared to him and instructed him to join the Carmelite Order that was just entering England at this time. In 1212 St Simon became a Carmelite. In 1215 he became the Order's leader and helped to establish it across Europe, especially in universities. He revised the Carmelite Rule to make them mendicant friars instead of hermits. According to tradition, Our Lady appeared to him again and showed him a brown scapular, the habit of the order, promising that those who wear it will not be lost in Hell. This apparition is known as Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the promise as the scapular promise, that is, that she will intercede with her Son to ensure that the wearer of the scapular obtains the grace of final perseverance and die in the state of grace. The Brown Scapular devotion spread to the laity and was encouraged by many Popes.