Carmelites
Coat of arms of the order | |
| Abbreviation | OCarm |
|---|---|
| Formation | Late 12th century |
| Founders | Early hermits of Mount Carmel |
| Founded at | Mount Carmel |
| Type | Mendicant order of pontifical right |
| Legal status | Institute of Consecrated Life |
| Membership | 2,041 members (includes 1,303 priests) (2022) |
Motto | Zelo zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum (Latin for 'With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts') |
General Headquarters | Curia Generalizia dei Carmelitani Via Giovanni Lanza, 138, 00184 Rome, Italy |
| Mícéal O'Neill, OCarm | |
Patron saints | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Elijah |
Parent organization | Catholic Church |
| Website | ocarm |
The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (Latin: Ordo Fratrum Beatissimæ Virginis Mariæ de Monte Carmelo; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Historical records about its origin remain uncertain; it was probably founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land.