The exact origins of both the rosary and scapular are subject to debate among scholars. Pious tradition maintains that both the rosary and the brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel were given by the Virgin Mary to Dominic and Simon Stock respectively during the 13th century. Historical records document their growth during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe. By the early 20th century, they had gained such a strong following among Catholics worldwide that Josef Hilgers, writing in the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1914, stated: "Like the Rosary, the Brown scapular has become the badge of the devout Catholic."
Statue of the Virgin Mary giving the Scapular to Simon Stock (19th-century) by Alfonso Balzico located in the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome
Rosary and scapular
"St Dominic Receives the Rosary from the Virgin Mary", Glengarriff Church of the Sacred Heart
Statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Chile)
A scapular is a Western Christian garment suspended from the shoulders. There are two types of scapulars, the monastic and devotional scapular; both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular". As an object of popular piety, a scapular serves to remind wearers of their commitment to live a Christian life.
Black scapulars worn by Cistercian monks as part of their religious habits
The devotional scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or "Brown Scapular"
Abba Antony of Egypt depicted wearing a brown monastic scapular and cloak
Carthusians in white hooded scapulars, by Francisco de Zurbarán, 1630–1635
