A place to pray

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Come to pray, give thanks, and entrust your petitions to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Nsukka, in the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, is the National Centre for Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Brown Scapular, and consequently the National Pilgrimage Centre of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Nigeria.The foundation stone was laid on 19th March 2019, the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the second year of the promotion of the devotion by the Discalced Carmelite Order in Nigeria.

Through the Apostolate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Brown Scapular Devotion, the Discalced Carmelite Order in Nigeria initiated the building of the Sanctuary as a practical means of promoting and deepening the Brown Scapular devotion. Its construction, therefore, began just one year after the Order commenced the nationwide promotion in 2018.As the National Centre, the Sanctuary is the spiritual home where our Carmelite Friars and Nuns, members of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCDS), members of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the wider Carmelite Family, and members of various Associations, Confraternities and Societies who officially wear the Brown Scapular, converge for the Annual Carmelite Pilgrimage, Votive Masses of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Novenas, and other Carmelite-Marian spiritual exercises and formation.

Though already in use for pilgrimages and devotions, the Sanctuary is still under construction and awaits completion. Once a year these groups of people gather especially for the Annual Carmelite Pilgrimage and the solemn celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 16^th July. It is compulsory that every Branch of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel celebrates the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at the Sanctuary and offer their Annual Thanksgiving to Our Lady of Mount Carmel at the Sanctuary.

 The Sanctuary has become a place where the devotees of Our Lady of Mount Carmel converge yearly, monthly, weekly and daily for different devotional activities in honour of Our Lady of Mont Carmel, especially for the Annual Carmelite Pilgrimage, the Monthly Novenas, and Carmelite celebrations.

These days, many grottoes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel have been built in many churches and schools as a way of promoting the devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel; and the Brown Scapular.

Planning a pilgrimage or devotional activity?

Contact the Rector of the Sanctuary — The Apostolate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Brown Scapular Devotion, Discalced Carmelite Order, Nigeria.