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| The Carmelite Order |
| The origins of the order of our lady of Mount Carmel go all the way back to the prophet Elias, who lived in old testament times. While Elias was alive the jewish people ceased to keep the laws Moses had given to them and they worshipped Baal instead. On an appointed day the prophets of Baal and the people of Israel assembled on Mount Carmel. The prophets of Baal prepared an altar for sacrafice then called upon their God to set fire to it. All day they called upon their God, but no fire came. Elias prepared an altar, put a sacrafice upon it and covered it with water, and called upon God. Fire from God fell from heaven and consumed everything. Elias said, "How long do you mean to hobble first on one leg then on the other ? If the lord is God follow him; if Baal, follow him" ( 1 kings 18 ). For many years hermits lived in the caves of Mount Carmel in the way of Elias. It is not known exactly when these hermits accepted the christian faith but they had such a devotion to The Mother of our Lord that they became known as the Brethren of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. Between the years of 1206 - 1214 the hermits asked St Albert, patrarch of Jerusalem to give them a rule. He did this and later it was given papal approval. In the final days of the crusades when the christian forces were defeated, the hermits fled for their lives and settled in Europe. In Britain two places they first settled in was Hulne in Alnwick, Northumberland and Aylesford in kent. The hermits were unable to to live in Europe as they had done on Mount Carmel, so they applied to Rome for permission to become Mendicant Friars. This was given and the friars divided their time between going out into the world and retiring to their houses for quiet contemplation. Many men and women were greatly impressed by the Carmelite friars and the way they loved and served God through the Blessed Mother. Many of them lived in groups near to the houses of the order so they could live a simplified form of the rule. Most of these groups were single women and widows. And in 1452 Blessed John Soreth applied to the pope for permission to form them into communies; and so the second order of the carmelites= enclosed nuns was established. And not long afterwards the third order was established= lay men and women who wished to be more closely associated with the friars and nuns in their prayer life and spirituality. Carmelites aim to love and serve God by imitating his Blessed Mother, marys charity, humility, patience, meekness and prayerfullness is the mirror which we try to live our own lives. There are thousands of members of the family of Carmel all over the world uniting their prayers and good works for the good of all. |