La Vierge du Remède et la dévotion au scapulaire

The Remedial Virgin and Scapular Devotion. Scapular devotion came into existence at the beginning of the 13th century and was embraced by several religious orders, such as the Servants of Mary, the Carmelites and the Trinitarians. The scapular, consisting of a piece of cloth that differed in color and in form, depending on the monastic order, was worn by both the Religious and by the Laity. It was, essentially, an object of devotion related to the Cult of the Virgin that could save the souls of those who wore it. It is probable that the scapular had a more concrete significance for the Trinitarians. In 17th century engravings, they are portrayed as Christian captives, wearing the scapular, being freed from Muslim prisons. Despite the antiquity of this type of devotion, the iconography of the scapular, linking it to the Virgin, was most likely fixed in the 16th century, since there are too few medieval documents to establish a concrete iconographical reference before this date.