Vilnius, circa 1760–1765

The Carmelite Order tradition states that the first general of the Order, St Simon Stock, experienced a vision in 1251. He saw the Blessed Virgin Mary giving him a Carmelite scapular and promising to protect everyone who wears it until death, and to save them from the fires of Purgatory. An angel sitting at the bottom of the picture holds a banner with the inscription, Ecce Signum Salutis (“Behold, the sign of salvation”). The same words would usually be written on the smaller scapulars – the devotionalia, which the Carmelites would give out to the congregation.