Carmel’s Coat of Arms
Luis Javier Fernández Frontela
Before the XV century, the shield appearing on the acts of the general Chapters consisted of an image of the Virgin dressed in the habit of Carmel, the white mantle was opened out, held by Our Lady’s own hands and sheltering under it were Carmelites who looked up to her with their hands joined in prayer.
From the XV century onwards, we have a coat of arms like the one we now know.
Here are the Parts of the Coat of Arms:
1st Figure:
The field or background is the inner surface of the shield where the figures are painted:
– In the lower part the brown colour represents the colour of the habit.
– The upper part, white in colour, refers to the mantle proper to the Order of Carmel. “To wear the white mantle signifies that the monks who have embraced this profession ought to guard the purity of their thoughts and desires, together with purity of body, according to the precept of the Apostle in saying: Let us purify ourselves of all that stains the flesh and the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, because we have not been called by God to impurity but to holiness.”
2nd Figure:
– The figure of the mountain represents Mount Carmel, the origin of the Order: “Elijah preferred to live on Mount Carmel rather than in all the other deserted places. Here he lived for some time, as the place was the most suitable to establish the prophetic religion of monastic life and the best place for teaching it and living it, as I have already said.” (Among the Discalced Carmelites, as in other congregations reformed before the Discalced, a cross was place on the mountain).
– The three stars. The two in the upper part, brown in colour, symbolize the saints of the Order: “religious men who served the Lord God of Israel in recollection, in the solitude of this mountain, having for their model and standard that holy hermit, Elijah the prophet of God, as well as the teachings and way of life that God himself communicated to him”. The lower one, white in colour, symbolizes the purity of life of the friars, whom the Rule recommends that they “gird their loins with the cinture of chastity. Arm their breasts with holy thoughts.”
3rd Figure:
The ducal crown, of the Marquesses of Spain, symbolizes the nobility of the Order, in having as their founders Elijah and the Mother of God.
4th Figure:
The arm of Elijah, a reference to the history of the prophet narrated in Sacred Scripture who, in the imagination of the Carmelites, was held to be their founder. An allusion to their origins.
5th Figure:
The flaming sword, expresses the fire of Elijah’s preaching, as well as God’s word, which is the object of the meditation of the Carmelite: “meditate day and night on the law of the Lord”, and which is one of the arms to be put on: “that the sword of the spirit which is the word of God, may live abundantly on your lips and in your hearts.”
6th Figure:
The Motto of the Order, placed above the shield on a winding ribbon, simulating a pennant: Zelo, zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercitum: I am filled with zeal for the Lord God of hosts (1Kings 19: 10), a reference to the episode in the life of Elijah in the cave on Horeb. It make reference to the life of divine intimacy of the prophet, which is what defines the character of Carmel.