The Brown Scapular was given to mankind by the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Simon Stock on July 16, 1251. He was at that time the Superior-General of the Carmelites. Nor was the position an easy one to fulfill, as many troubles afflicted this religious order which had only recently come to Europe to escape the Muslim persecutions in the Holy Land. And so St. Simon, weighed down by his many cares and concerns, withdrew to the Carmelite Monastery at Cambridge to implore Heaven’s help. He begged Our Lady, the Protectress of the Carmelite Order, to pour out Her graces and benedictions upon the spiritually arid community.

Mary, in the solicitous concern of her maternal Heart, appeared to the Saint in a vision. Surrounded by multitudes of Holy Angels, She held in her beautiful hands a brown religious scapular made of wool. Gazing upon St. Simon with eyes full of love and compassion, She placed the scapular in his hands with these words:

"Receive, My beloved son, this Scapular of thy Order; it is the special sign of My favor, which I have obtained for thee and for thy children of Mount Carmel. Whosoever dies clothed in this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and a pledge of special peace and protection."

After also reassuring him of Her continued protection, and of the swift correction of the present difficulties plaguing the Carmelites, the Blessed Virgin departed, leaving St. Simon greatly consoled and encouraged.

Later that same day St. Simon was called by Lord Peter of Linton to the bedside of the nobleman’s dying brother.

"Please, Father, come quickly!" Lord Peter implored, "My brother is dying in terror and despair!"

The unfortunate sick man, after leading a life of sin and scandal, was now trapped in satan’s grasp, obstinately remaining in his sins and refusing the Last Sacraments. He was now possessed by the devil, blaspheming God, and on the edge of falling into hell forever.

St. Simon’s confessor, Fr. Peter Swanington, accompanied him to the home of the possessed man. He tells us that, "We entered the house and he (the sick man) foamed with rage, ground his teeth and rolled his eyes like a furious animal. St. Simon, seeing that he was about to expire and had already lost the use of his senses, made the Sign of the Cross and placed upon him the Holy Scapular of Carmel. Then, lifting his eyes to Heaven, he prayed to God to give [the unfortunate man] time for repentance, that a soul bought with the price of the Blood of Jesus Christ might not become the prey of the demon. All at once the sick man regained his strength, recovered the use of his senses, and making the Sign of the Cross, cried against the demon, saying with tears, ‘Alas, wretch that I am, how terrible is the fear of my damnation! My sins are more numerous than the sand of the sea! O my God, Thy Mercy is above Thy justice, have pity on me, and you, my Father, help me.’ "

The poor sinner, having received this precious grace from Heaven’s Queen, renounced his sinful past, went to Confession, and received the Last Sacraments. He died in the peace and friendship of God just a few hours later. That night in a dream Lord Peter saw a vision of his deceased brother, who told him that, "I have been saved through the most powerful Queen and the Habit of that man as a shield."

This first miracle, while proving so completely the promise which Mary had given St. Simon less than a day before, served also to spread rapidly awareness of this newest benediction from Heaven. And within Carmelite Order itself, the blessings which She had promised were soon blossoming forth. The saintly Superior General lived to see the Carmelites flourish marvelously; not only in his native land, but throughout all of Europe as well. He died on May 16, 1265 at the Monastery of Bordeaux at the age of 100, fourteen years after receiving the Brown Scapular from Our Lady.