The brown scapular is, in the words of the tradition, a “silent prayer” worn upon the body. But the devotion has always been accompanied by spoken prayers as well: a daily offering renewed each morning, the ancient Flower of Carmel prayer of the Carmelite Order, prayers of entrustment for evening and for times of need, and the prayers of investiture by which a person is enrolled. This page gathers the traditional prayers of the brown scapular devotion so that those who wear it may pray them daily and live the devotion more fully.
The Brown Scapular Morning Offering
Many who wear the brown scapular renew their consecration each morning with a short offering, traditionally made while kissing the scapular as a sign of love for Our Lady. The following morning offering, associated with the devotion of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and with Fatima, is among the most widely prayed:
O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary (here kiss the Brown Scapular), I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Jesus from all the altars throughout the world, joining with it the offering of my every thought, word, and action of this day.
O my Jesus, I desire today to gain every indulgence and merit I can, and I offer them, together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that she may best apply them to the interests of Thy Most Sacred Heart. Amen.
Praying this offering each morning is a simple and beautiful way to begin the day as a scapular wearer: entrusting the whole of the day, its work and its trials, to God through the hands of Mary.
The Flower of Carmel (Flos Carmeli)
The Flower of Carmel, or Flos Carmeli, is one of the most ancient prayers of the Carmelite Order, associated by tradition with St. Simon Stock and prayed by Carmelites throughout the world, especially on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It is a prayer of tender appeal to Mary under her Carmelite titles:
O beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, holy and singular, who brought forth the Son of God, still ever remaining a pure Virgin, assist me in this necessity.
O Star of the Sea, help and protect me! Show me that thou art my Mother. Amen.
Some versions of this prayer continue with a series of invocations to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and to St. Joseph, patron of the Carmelite Order:
Mother and Ornament of Carmel, pray for us. Virgin, Flower of Carmel, pray for us. Patroness of all who wear the Scapular, pray for us. Hope of all who die wearing the Scapular, pray for us. St. Joseph, Friend of the Sacred Heart, pray for us. St. Joseph, Chaste Spouse of Mary, pray for us. St. Joseph, Our Patron, pray for us. O sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!
The Prayer of Investiture
When a person is enrolled in the brown scapular, the priest blesses the scapular and places it over the shoulders while praying that the one enrolled may wear it as a sign of consecration to Our Lady and be preserved by her protection. The investiture prayers belong to the official rite of enrollment and are prayed by the priest.
Because the full rite is a liturgical act with an approved text, this page does not reproduce the complete ceremony; the priest will pray the proper prayers at the enrollment itself.
Praying with the Scapular at Night
The scapular devotion has always looked toward the end of the day, and the end of life. The heart of the Scapular Promise concerns the hour of death, and so it is a fitting and beloved custom to close each day by renewing one’s entrustment to Our Lady before sleep, often while holding or kissing the scapular. The ancient Sub Tuum Praesidium, the oldest known prayer to the Blessed Virgin, is a beautiful act of entrustment for this moment:
We fly to thy protection, O Holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
Praying this each night, the scapular wearer places the day just ended, and the night to come, under the mantle of the Mother of God, in the same trust with which the scapular itself is worn.
A Prayer for Urgent Need: The Memorare
When the wearer of the scapular turns to Our Lady in pressing need, the tradition of the Church offers the Memorare, the great prayer of confidence attributed to the devotion of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Its spirit of bold trust in Mary’s intercession is the very spirit of the scapular devotion:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
How to Use These Prayers
There is no heavy rule binding the scapular wearer to a fixed set of prayers. The heart of the devotion is the faithful wearing of the scapular and a life of trust in Our Lady. But a simple daily rhythm deepens the devotion beautifully: renew your consecration each morning with the morning offering, kissing the scapular; pray the Flower of Carmel or the Memorare when you turn to Our Lady in need; close the day by entrusting yourself to her protection with the Sub Tuum Praesidium; and, in keeping with the tradition of the Sabbatine Privilege, offer a daily Marian prayer such as the Rosary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What prayer do you say with the brown scapular?
There is no single required prayer, but the most common is a daily morning offering, prayed while kissing the scapular, by which the wearer offers the day to God through Mary. The Flower of Carmel (Flos Carmeli) is also traditionally prayed by those devoted to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Do you have to pray a specific prayer to wear the brown scapular?
No specific prayer is strictly required simply to wear the scapular. However, to fulfill the traditional conditions of the Sabbatine Privilege, a daily Marian prayer such as the Little Office or, by the permitted commutation, the Rosary is offered.
What is the Flower of Carmel prayer?
The Flower of Carmel (Flos Carmeli) is an ancient Carmelite prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, associated by tradition with St. Simon Stock and prayed especially on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Should I kiss my scapular when I pray?
Kissing the scapular is a traditional pious gesture expressing love for Our Lady, often done while praying the morning offering. It is a devotional custom, not an obligation.
What prayer should I say at night with the scapular?
A beloved custom is to close the day by entrusting yourself to Our Lady’s protection, often while holding or kissing the scapular. The ancient Sub Tuum Praesidium (“We fly to thy protection, O Holy Mother of God…”) is especially fitting for this nightly act of trust.
