Our Lady of 
Mount Carmel
  

The origins of this feast reach all the way back to the Old Testament. In the book of Kings, we read the story of the prophet Elijah. Much of his prayer, fasting, and public ministry occurred from Carmel, a mountain in Israel.  Christian hermits -- seeking solitude -- made their homes on the mountain during the first millennium. Over time, the hermits assembled into a community and were given a Rule of Life. They named their church after Mary -- Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Political upheaval forced the Carmelite order out of the Holy Land and into Europe, where they established  monasteries for both men and women across the continent. Many great saints and doctors of the Church have come from the Carmelite order, including St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux,  and St. Edith Stein. Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Pray for us!_______________________________________________________________________________