Mount Carmel has always been a symbol of beauty. Mount Carmel is of great importance for Carmelites because the Order of Carmelites has its origins on this beautiful mountain in Palestine. The name means garden or orchard. It seems in the Old Testament this mountain has been mentioned twenty-nine times and is especially associated with Prophet Elijah. It rises 1,742 feet above sea level and towers above Israel's Mediterranean coastline.
Mount Carmel is a mountain spur projecting into the sea south of Haifa, Israel. Its bold outline can be seen for many miles. The Greek philosopher Pythagoras was reportedly attracted to Carmel by its sacred reputation.
Some hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century. The name of our Order has been derived from Mount Carmel, the place of our outset, as by the end of the twelfth century, a group of Crusaders settled on the western slopes of Mount Carmel.
About 1156, the Order of Carmelites was founded, and a new monastery was built in honour of St. Mary of Mount Carmel.
The entire recorded history of Mount Carmel is one of a place of worship. It is on the heights of Mount Carmel that the Carmelite Order originated in the Holy Land. We do not have a particular founder.
Today the Order is found on all five continents.
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