Scapular of the Seven Dolours of Mary
Encyclopedia
The Scapular of the Seven Sorrows of Mary (also called Scapular of the Seven Dolours of Mary) is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular that dates back to the thirteenth century.
In 1255 Pope Alexander IV
sanctioned the Servite Order
and that order gained a significant number of followers who were devoted to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The members of this Confraternity later wore a scapular habit which had to be of black cloth.
In 1611, the Servite order's confraternity and the Black Scapular of the Seven Dolours of Mary received indulgences from Pope Paul V
.
Nothing is prescribed concerning this scapular, but usually the front has an image of Our Lady of Sorrows
. This scapular must be worn constantly, if one wishes to gain the indulgences of the confraternity approved by the Congregation of Indulgences in 1888. Priests may obtain from the General of the Servites the faculty to receive the faithful into the confraternity and to bless and invest with the scapular.
who, in 1607, promulgated new regulations regarding the ordering of confraternities which were extant at the time. It was at this point that the familiar small cloth devotional scapulars began to become the symbol of confraternities associated with Religious orders. The Confraternity, as it stands today, was officially designated by Pope Innocent X
in 1645.
In 1255 Pope Alexander IV
Pope Alexander IV
Pope Alexander IV was Pope from 1254 until his death.Born as Rinaldo di Jenne, in Jenne , he was, on his mother's side, a member of the de' Conti di Segni family, the counts of Segni, like Pope Innocent III and Pope Gregory IX...
sanctioned the Servite Order
Servite Order
The Servite Order is one of the five original Catholic mendicant orders. Its objects are the sanctification of its members, preaching the Gospel, and the propagation of devotion to the Mother of God, with special reference to her sorrows. The members of the Order use O.S.M. as their post-nominal...
and that order gained a significant number of followers who were devoted to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The members of this Confraternity later wore a scapular habit which had to be of black cloth.
In 1611, the Servite order's confraternity and the Black Scapular of the Seven Dolours of Mary received indulgences from Pope Paul V
Pope Paul V
-Theology:Paul met with Galileo Galilei in 1616 after Cardinal Bellarmine had, on his orders, warned Galileo not to hold or defend the heliocentric ideas of Copernicus. Whether there was also an order not to teach those ideas in any way has been a matter for controversy...
.
Nothing is prescribed concerning this scapular, but usually the front has an image of Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows , the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows , and Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names by which the Blessed Virgin Mary is referred to in relation to sorrows in her life...
. This scapular must be worn constantly, if one wishes to gain the indulgences of the confraternity approved by the Congregation of Indulgences in 1888. Priests may obtain from the General of the Servites the faculty to receive the faithful into the confraternity and to bless and invest with the scapular.
The Confraternity
This scapular is the symbol of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Sorrows, a body of the Catholic faithful associated with the Servite Order. The purpose of this association is to foster devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ and the Sorrows of Mary his mother. In the case of most devotional scapulars there are some prescriptions regarding ornamentation or design. in the case of the Black Scapular, there are no such prescriptions, aside that it be of black woollen cloth.History
The confraternity began to develop around in the 13th Century, soon after the founding of the Servite order in 1223. Groups of laypeople wishing to share in the life and spirit of the monks moved into areas surrounding the Servite monasteries. In 1374, the prior general of the order declared the members of these groups to be members of "their association" and permitted them to take part in the spiritual merit of the order. Little changed in the association until the ascension of Pope Paul VPope Paul V
-Theology:Paul met with Galileo Galilei in 1616 after Cardinal Bellarmine had, on his orders, warned Galileo not to hold or defend the heliocentric ideas of Copernicus. Whether there was also an order not to teach those ideas in any way has been a matter for controversy...
who, in 1607, promulgated new regulations regarding the ordering of confraternities which were extant at the time. It was at this point that the familiar small cloth devotional scapulars began to become the symbol of confraternities associated with Religious orders. The Confraternity, as it stands today, was officially designated by Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X , born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj , was Pope from 1644 to 1655. Born in Rome of a family from Gubbio in Umbria who had come to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Innocent IX, he graduated from the Collegio Romano and followed a conventional cursus honorum, following his uncle...
in 1645.
Enrollment, Obligations and Benefits
Any baptised person of any age or gender, who is willing to undertake the obligations stipulated by the order may be enrolled. These obligations are to wear the Black Scapular, to pray 15 minutes daily for the whole of the Servite order and the church (the Chaplet of Seven Sorrows is recommended) including at least one "Hail Mary", one "Hail Holy Queen", and if possible perform some work of mercy towards those suffering either bodily, spiritually, or mentally. The benefits of membership are in participation in the life of the Servite order as well as a share in all of their works and prayers and an opportunity to deepen one's understanding of the life of Christ and His mother. There are other more, ethereal benefits, based on private revelations from various mystics.Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13508b.htm