Why is the Virgin of Carmen the patron saint of sailors?

The celebration of the Virgin of Carmen is a tradition in Spain and in many places in Latin America. On July 16, the Virgin of Carmen is paraded by boat along many beaches and ports throughout the country. However, this is a tradition that has an origin and has led the Virgin of Carmen to become the patron saint of sailors.

Every July 16 in Spanish ports and in several Latin American countries, the maritime procession of the Virgin of Carmen is repeated. Whether aboard a proud fishing boat, a merchant vessel, or a recreational yacht, the Virgin is accompanied by an entire fleet that parades her along rivers, estuaries, and coasts in a massive event with both religious and civil significance. But where does the tradition of the Virgin of Carmen being the patron saint of sailors come from?

The origin of the devotion

According to history, on July 16, 1251, during the time of the Crusades, on Mount Carmel (Hakkarmel), Israel, the Virgin appeared to Saint Simon Stock. An Englishman who would later become the founder and superior of the Order of Carmel. On that day, the image of Mary gave Simon the characteristic habits of the order and the scapular.

It was not until centuries later, in 1587, when Pope Sixtus V institutionalized the maritime veneration of Carmen, with the publication of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From then on, the devotion spread throughout the church, with great acceptance by the new American faithful.

Where does the tradition come from?

One of the aspects that generates the most curiosity among those who approach this tradition is the origin of the Virgin of Carmen. It dates back to the year 1251, when in Israel on Mount Carmel the Virgin appeared to Saint Simon Stock. Saint Simon was an Englishman who would eventually found the Order of Carmel. In that apparition, it appears that the Virgin gave Simon the habits of the order and the scapular. It would be later, in 1587, when Pope Sixtus V made the maritime veneration of the Virgin of Carmen institutional through the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
It should be noted that the Virgin of Carmen is also the patron saint of the navy. In fact, one of the aspects that has influenced her being considered the patron saint of sailors is the title of Star of the Sea that was given to her in the first prayers.

Star of the Sea

In Spain, the Virgin of Carmen, in addition to being the patron saint of sailors, is also the patron saint of the Navy. She is their “Star of the Sea.” The title could derive from the Latin “Stella Maris,” as a reference to Mary. However, it was Simon Stock himself, to whom the Virgin first appeared, who called her in his prayers “Star of the Sea,” leading sailors to adopt her as our patron saint, along with Saint Elmo, patron saint of navigators and sailors.

Devotion to the Blessed Virgin of Carmen has increased over the centuries. Several miracles recorded in navigation logs and ship logbooks from around the world have helped increase her devotion. As a result, on most merchant, fishing, and recreational vessels, at least a small corner is reserved on the bridge to keep a small image of the Virgin of Carmen or a photograph of her face wearing the scapular.

One aspect that has increased over time is the devotion generated by the Virgin of Carmen. In fact, there are certain aspects that have influenced this increase in followers, and most of them have been the miracles that have been reported. The navigation logs of ships and logbooks recorded on numerous occasions apparitions of the Virgin and miracles.

Miracles of the Virgin of Carmen

Over time, a great number of miracles and apparitions have been reported that have influenced the fame gained by this Virgin. Below, we tell you about the most famous known miracles.

The Palmi earthquake

On November 16, 1894, in Palmi, an Italian city in the Calabria region, a devastating earthquake occurred that destroyed almost all the buildings but caused only 9 deaths among the 15,000 inhabitants of the town. The miracle is attributed to the Virgin of Carmen, who according to the local press of the time had experienced changes in the color of her eyes and the expression of her face during the previous days. The inhabitants of the town decided to hold a procession with the Virgin through the streets of the town, which prevented them from being in their homes at the time of the earthquake, avoiding thousands of deaths.

Shipwreck of “El Galileo”

El Galileo was a merchant ship dedicated to transporting pearl shell (mother-of-pearl). On a fateful day in 1913, the vessel with its entire crew was caught in a severe storm, which caused its shipwreck a few miles from Caño Island (Costa Rica). The ship’s owner, Hermenegildo Cruz, devastated by the loss of his sailors and the pain of the families, began a prayer to the Virgin of Carmen in his church, along with relatives, the town priest, and a large number of neighbors, to pray for the souls of the shipwrecked sailors about whom nothing was known and who were feared to have suffered the worst fate.

While everyone was in the temple praying for the souls of the navigators, a ship arrived at the port with the good news that the entire crew of El Galileo was safe in a nearby town, after being rescued by another vessel. The ship’s captain and his sailors told that a woman appeared out of nowhere on the ship when the storm began, and that she fed and accompanied them, giving them strength to swim to the nearby beach, where they were rescued. The captain confessed that the woman had the same face as the Virgin of Carmen they venerated in the town church.

Ciudad del Carmen

In Mexico, a town bears the name Ciudad del Carmen. It is located in the Campeche region, and in fact the very origin of the city is associated with the Virgin. According to history, on July 16, 1717, the pirates were expelled from the region with the help of the Marian image, which later led to the construction of a fort to which they gave the Virgin’s name.

The Ocean King

It was the year 1845, in summer. The British vessel Ocean King was caught by surprise by a strong hurricane. On board traveled a minister of Her Majesty of Protestant Christian faith with his family. Finding themselves battered by wind and waves, the governor went up on deck praying and asking for mercy. A young crew member, observing the scene, took his scapular and after crossing himself threw it into the sea. Instantly the tempest ceased, and there was only one more wave that returned the scapular to the young man. Amazed by the miracle, the British minister converted and embraced the Catholic faith.

There are many more miracles associated with the Virgin of Carmen and her protection of sailors throughout the centuries, which has awakened in all navigators a devotion to her image, and a pleading gaze when things get difficult. Long live the Virgin of Carmen!