Rachel Evans
The Catholic scapular is a garment first designed by monks during the Middle Ages to be worn as a protective covering over their clothing when performing manual labour. It is a sign of devotion to Mary and faithfulness to Christ. The brown scapular is the most popular, and it is believed that whoever dies wearing it will not suffer eternal damnation. It is worn over the shoulders, with one part hanging over the chest and the other over the back. Some Catholics choose to roll and tie their scapulars, which involves rolling the scapular face-up on a table and then wrapping the strings around the rolled fabric.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Width | About 14 to 18 inches |
| Length | Floor-length, or 24 inches |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Position | Over the shoulders, with one part on the chest and the other at the back |
| How to tie | Roll one of the felt-backed pictures tightly, with the image on the inside of the roll. Hold the roll and allow the two strings to hang down. Wrap the string around your finger, ensuring there are no twists, and then slide the wrappings onto the roll. Repeat on the other side. |
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What You'll Learn
Place the scapular face up on a table
To roll a Catholic scapular, place the scapular face up on a table. The scapular is a devotional artefact worn by Catholics to show their devotion to a life of faith. It is a small cloth necklace with two pictures on opposite ends. It is important to place the scapular face up on the table to ensure that the pictures are on the inside of the roll.
Once the scapular is placed face up on the table, the next step is to roll one of the pictures as tightly as possible. It is important to roll the picture tightly to ensure that the scapular is secure and does not come undone. The rolled scapular will resemble a scroll or a small cylinder.
After rolling the picture, hold the rolled body of the scapular firmly and allow the two strings to hang down. The strings will be used to wrap and secure the rolled scapular. It is important to ensure that the strings are not twisted as they hang down.
The scapular can be placed on the table at any time during the rolling and tying process to check for twists in the strings. If there are twists in the strings, they can be removed by rolling one end of the scapular through itself. This will create a neat and tidy finish to the rolled scapular.
By placing the scapular face up on a table and following the subsequent steps, Catholics can wear the scapular as a symbol of their devotion and commitment to their faith.
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Roll one felt-backed picture tightly
To roll a Catholic scapular, start by placing the scapular face-up on a table. The scapular is made up of two small squares of cloth, wood, or laminated paper, bearing religious images or text, which are joined by two bands of cloth. Take one of the felt-backed pictures and roll it as tightly as you can, ensuring that the image or picture is on the inside of the roll. Securely hold the rolled body of the scapular, allowing the two strings to hang down.
Now, you will wrap the scapular. You can start on either side, but for the purposes of these instructions, we will begin on the right. Allow the string to hang down and wrap it under and behind the felt roll. Continue to wrap the string around your finger, ensuring that it first passes under, then behind your finger, before coming over the top. It is important that the string is not twisted as it wraps around your finger. The string will be twisted further down its length, but not where it wraps around your finger.
Next, slide the wrappings off your finger and onto the rolled body of the scapular. The loose end of the string should run under itself where it is attached to the rolled picture. Tighten the wrappings just enough so that they stay in place without slipping or falling off.
Repeat the above steps, but this time mirrored on the left side. Wrap the string twice around your finger, coming from under, then behind, then over, ensuring that there are no twists in the portion you are working with. This time, the second wrap will be to the right of the first. Move the wrappings to the body of the rolled scapular. Again, the loose end of the string should pass under itself where it is attached to the roll. Gently tighten to prevent the wrappings from coming undone or falling off.
If you lay your half-completed scapular on a table, you may notice that the strings are twisted. Don't worry about this, as the twists will disappear as you wrap the other end. Repeat the above steps on this end of the scapular, working out all the slack and tightening the wrappings on each side and on each end.
Finally, if you wish, you can remove any remaining twists in the strings by rolling one end of the scapular through itself. This is not necessary, but it will result in a nicer-looking finish.
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Hold the roll and let the strings hang down
To roll a Catholic scapular, start by placing the scapular face-up on a table. Roll one of the felt-backed pictures as tightly as you can, ensuring that the image is on the inside of the roll. Now, hold the rolled body of the scapular firmly, allowing the two strings to hang down.
The strings should be free of twists, wrapping from right to left. If there are twists, they can be removed by rolling one end of the scapular through itself. At this point, you can decide how many times you want to wrap the string around your finger, depending on whether you want a shorter or tighter fit around your neck. For a shorter or tighter fit, you can do a triple or even quadruple wrap. For a longer or looser fit, a single wrap is preferable.
Now, allow the string to hang down and wrap it under and behind the felt roll. Continue to wrap the string around your finger, ensuring that it first passes under, then behind your finger, before coming over the top. It is important that the string is not twisted as it wraps around your finger.
Once you have completed the desired number of wraps, slide the wrappings off your finger onto the rolled body of the scapular. The loose end of the string should run under itself where it is attached to the rolled picture. Gently tighten the wrappings to prevent them from coming undone or falling off.
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Wrap the string around your finger
Wrapping the string around your finger is a crucial step in tying a Catholic scapular. This step involves carefully wrapping the string around your finger, ensuring there are no twists in the portion you are working with. The wrapping direction is important, with the string going first under, then behind, and finally over your finger. This process is repeated, ensuring the second wrap is positioned to the left of the first wrap.
Once you have completed the wraps, gently slide them off your finger and onto the rolled body of the scapular. It is important to ensure that the loose end of the string runs under itself where it attaches to the rolled picture. This step helps to secure the wrappings and prevent them from coming undone.
At this stage, you can tighten the wrappings to ensure they stay in place without slipping or falling off. It is crucial to avoid twisting the string as you wrap it around your finger. The string may twist further down its length, but it is important to keep the portion around your finger twist-free.
After completing the wrapping process, you can lay your half-completed scapular on a table. You may notice that the strings are twisted, but this is normal and can be easily resolved. Simply repeat the wrapping process on the other end of the scapular, and the twists will disappear.
By following these detailed instructions for wrapping the string around your finger, you will be able to create a secure and neat Catholic scapular.
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Slide the wrappings onto the rolled scapular
Now that you have the rolled scapular in one hand and the string hanging down, it's time to start wrapping. Wrap the string under and behind the felt roll, then continue wrapping it around your finger. As you do this, ensure that the string passes under, then behind your finger, before coming over the top. It's important that the string is not twisted as it wraps around your finger. The string will be twisted further down its length, but not where it wraps around your finger.
Once you have wrapped the string twice around your finger, it's time to slide the wrappings onto the rolled scapular. Gently slide the wrappings off your finger and onto the rolled body of the scapular. Make sure that the loose end of the string runs under itself where it attaches to the rolled picture. Now, tighten the wrappings. You want to tighten them just enough so that they stay in place without slipping or falling off.
You can now repeat the process on the other side. Wrap the string twice around your finger, ensuring there are no twists. Then, slide the wrappings onto the rolled scapular and tighten them. Again, the loose end of the string should pass under itself where it attaches to the roll.
You can now adjust the wrappings so that they are stacked neatly on top of each other. Work out any slack and tighten the wrappings on each side and end of the scapular. If you lay your completed scapular on a table, you may notice that the strings are twisted. Don't worry about this—as you wear the scapular, the twists will disappear.
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Frequently asked questions
The scapular is a garment first designed by monks during the Middle Ages as a protective covering to be worn over their clothing when they did manual labour. It is a sign of devotion to Mary and faithfulness to Christ.
Place the scapular face up on a table and roll one of the felt-backed pictures as tightly as you can, ensuring the image is on the inside of the roll. Hold the rolled body and let the two strings hang down. Wrap the string under and behind the felt roll and then around your finger, ensuring there are no twists. Slide the wrappings off your finger and onto the rolled body. Repeat on the other side.
The scapular is worn like a necklace with one end on your chest and the other on your back, under your clothing. It is said that anyone who dies wearing it "shall not suffer eternal fire".
The history of the brown scapular dates back to the 13th century. Legend holds that in 1251, the Blessed Mother appeared in a vision to Simon, Stock, the superior general of the Carmelites, and gave him the brown scapular.
