Mount Carmel is a famous mountain in Israel in the seacoast city of Haifa. Haifa is situated on a hill overlooking a broad bay on the Mediterranean Sea. At its extremity, near the sea, Mount Carmel looks like a bold promontory which all but runs into the waves of the Mediterranean.
At the top of the Mount we find the Basilica dedicated to the Virgin of Mount Carmel. The monastery serves as a centre of Carmelite spirituality throughout the world. Every day the church is visited by pilgrims and tourists from all over the world, attracted by the beauty of the place but also by the devotion to the Virgin and St. Elias that has grown over the centuries.
The Sacred Mountain and the Prophet Elijah
A well-known mountain ridge in Palestine, usually called in the Hebrew Bible Hakkarmel (with the definite article), “the garden” or “the garden-land.” In later Hebrew it is known simply as Karmel, and in modern Arabic as Kurmul, or more commonly as Jebel Mâr Elias (Mountain of St. Elias). The sacredness of its heights was well known in ancient Israel.
It was the ridge of Carmel that the same Prophet Elias chose for the assembly of the people, such assemblies being usually held at some holy place (3 Kings 18:19 sq.). The event is narrated in detail in 3 Kings chapter 18. Then Elijah rebuilt the ruined altar of the Lord and offered a sacrifice.
In vain did the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal call upon their sun-god till noon, nay even till the time of the evening sacrifice. His prayer to Yahweh was heard. The fire from heaven consumed all, to the very water in the trench, and all the people seeing this worshiped, saying: “Yahweh is God. Yahweh is God.”
Then followed in rapid succession, the slaying of all the prophets of Baal who had been brought down to the brook Cison; Elias’ prayer on the top of Carmel for rain and his repeated bidding to his servant: “Go up and look toward the sea”; the arising of a cloud, the forerunner of a violent storm; the king’s prompt departure for Jezrahel, lest he should be stopped by the rain; and lastly, Elias’ swift running before Achab to the entrance of Jezrahel.
EL PROFETA ELÍAS: EL DESAFÍO EN EL MONTE CARMELO
Elijah’s Caves and Early Devotion
On the northern slope of Mount Carmel, near the Haifa beach, is a cave where the prophet is believed to have meditated before his fateful encounter with the priests of Baal. The cave, about 45 feet long, is situated in a residential dwelling-since the city of Haifa has overgrown into Mount Carmel and its slopes. It is open to the public, with separate areas for males and females.
There is another cave associated with Elias further up the hill behind the lighthouse. The second cave belongs to the monastery of Stella Maris, owned by a religious order that was established in the 12th century by French Crusaders. The cave situated below the altar, which you can walk down into, is believed to have been inhabited by Elijah.
The Carmelites, whose primary saint was Elijah, hold a tradition that the cave inside the church was one of the caves where the prophet hid and stayed. On the east side is a small cave where, according to Carmelite tradition, Elijah has stayed. The altar stands on an elevated platform situated above a small cave associated with Elijah.
Origins of the Carmelite Presence
In the 12th century, during the Kingdom of Jerusalem rule of the region, groups of religious hermits began to inhabit the caves of this area in imitation of Elijah the Prophet. Within a few decades, when the capital of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, Acre, fell in 1291 to the Mamluks, these monastic hermits were forced to leave the Holy Land.
In 1631 the Discalced branch of the Order returned to the Holy Land, led by the Venerable Father Prosper. The Order then moved to the present location, which is directly above a grotto where the prophet Elijah is said to have lived. Here they built a large church and monastery, first clearing the site of the ruins of a medieval Greek church, known as "the Abbey of St.
The Carmelites are a Catholic order of monks, one of the oldest in the Holy Land, and named after Mount Carmel. Their primary saint is the Prophet Elijah. These hermits were lead by the Frenchman Berthold (died 1188). That brook is named e-Siah, now named Nahal Siakh in Hebrew, meaning bush.
War, Destruction, and Rebuilding
During the 1799 campaign of the French forces, headed by General Napoleon, the sick French soldiers stayed in the monastery, which became an army hospital. After they failed on their siege of Acre, Napoleon retreated , leaving his 200 wounded soldiers in the hospital. They were butchered by the Ottomans, and the monastery was demolished.
In 1821, Abdullah Pasha of Acre ordered the ruined church to be totally destroyed, so that it could not serve as a fort for his enemies, while he attacked Jerusalem. The Carmelites reestablished the Stella Maris monastery in the beginning of the 19th century. They laid a cornerstone in 1827, and completed the fort-like monastery in 1836.
The current church and monastery, built under the orders of Brother Cassini of the Order, was opened in 1836. Construction of the present monastery and basilica began in 1836. Construction of the current building began in October 1934 under architect Marcel Favier and opened on December 13, 1936.
Architecture and Interior Program
The Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a building with thick stone walls, pointed arches, and a central dome decorated with biblical paintings. The monastery's main church resembles the shape of a cross. Its dome is decorated by colorful paintings based on motifs from both the Old and New Testament: Elijah rising to heaven, David stringing his harp, the prophet Isaiah, the Holy Family and the Four Evangelists.
Colorful paintings on the dome from the 1920s depict episodes from the Old Testament, such as the scene of Elijah swept up to heaven in a fiery chariot. The ceiling is beautifully decorated with scenes of Elijah lifting up to heaven on a chariot of fire and horses, David playing on a harp, prophets Daniel, Ezekiel and Isaiah, the Holy family and the founders of the Carmelite order.
The altar above the cave is dominated by a statue of the Virgin Mary carrying Jesus in her lap and holding the Scapular in her right hand, known as Our Lady of the Scapular. The statue that stands on the altar dates from 1931-32 and was made in Genoa, Italy, from Lebanon cedar wood. There is also a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary carved from the famous cedar of Lebanon with a porcelain head dating from 1820.
Inside the church on the walls one can admire bas-relief sculptures, made of white marble, honoring the 4 great saints of the order: the "inner castle" of Teresa D'Avila, "the ascent to God" of St. John of the Cross, the saint, of Jewish origin, Edith Stein, and the first Palestinian saint Mary Baouardy. New embossments dedicated to Carmelite figures are hoisted on all four corners of the central hall.
Above the entrance is the seal of the Carmelites. The panel on the north side is surrounded by a marble frame flanked by reddish columns. St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross, wearing Discalced Carmelite habits, gaze toward heaven where St. Joseph sits with the baby Jesus.
The Grotto Under the Altar
The cave can be reached from the nave by descending a few steps and holds a stone altar with a small statue of Prophet Elijah. The Carmelites, whose primary saint was Elijah, hold a tradition that the cave inside the church was one of the caves where the prophet hid and stayed. Beneath the monastery lies a cave traditionally linked to the prophet Elijah.
Opposite the monastery, a footpath down towards the Mediterranean leads to another grotto called Elijah’s Cave. Here the prophet is said to have meditated before his encounter with the priests of Baal.
Devotions, Scapular, and Feasts
The scapular is a habit, a summary of the religious habit reduced to two small pieces of cloth that are on the shoulder blades - one in the front and one in the back - that reminds us every day that we are consecrated to Our Lady. A painting of St. Simon Stock, who received the gift of the scapular in 1251 in Aylesford-England, can also be seen. Carmel celebrates today the one who is its patroness and its Mother.
We gather here in the place where Elijah, our Father, took refuge, prayed and hid in charity that is, in love. And that is what we celebrate! Especially for Elijah, too, it is a great feast. For us residents of Haifa it is truly a grace to be here on this Our Lady of Mount Carmel Day.
Memorials and Surroundings
By the church is also the Stella Maris Lighthouse. A small pyramid-shaped memorial stone, with an iron cross on top of it, reads a Biblical text in Latin: (2 Samuel 1: 27) “How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”. It was erected in memory of the 200 French soldiers that were butchered here in 1799 by the Ottomans.
The photo below shows the western side of the Monastery, which faces the sea. Between the palm trees are two monuments - in memory of the 1799 slaughter and the Acre campaign. The western side of the monastery, with the entrance to the church.
Visiting the Basilica Today
The site sits on a hillside in Haifa and is best reached on foot, with comfortable shoes recommended. Opposite the monastery, a footpath down towards the Mediterranean leads to another grotto called Elijah’s Cave. Here they built a large church and monastery, first clearing the site of the ruins of a medieval Greek church, known as "the Abbey of St.
Selected Chronology
- In the 12th century, during the Crusader occupation of Mount Carmel, groups of religious hermits began to inhabit the caves of the Carmel district, in imitation of the prophet Elijah.
- Within a century, these monastic hermits were organized into the Carmelite order.
- After they failed on their siege of Acre, Napoleon retreated , leaving his 200 wounded soldiers in the hospital.
- They laid a cornerstone in 1827, and completed the fort-like monastery in 1836.
- Construction of the current building began in October 1934 under architect Marcel Favier and opened on December 13, 1936.
Mount Carmel’s Biblical Landscape
As nearly the whole range of Carmel is covered with abundant and rich vegetable earth, it has still much of that appearance which no doubt was the origin of its name: “the garden” or “the garden land.” Besides the pine, its most common trees are the prickly oak, myrtle, lentisk, carob and olive. Carmel is also remarkable for its profusion of aromatic plants and wild flowers.
On Mount Carmel the prophet Elijah prayed for life-giving rain after a long drought and then saw a little cloud rising from the sea. This little cloud became a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary. One of the southeast peaks of Mount Carmel is the traditional site of the contest between the pagan priests of the god Baal and the Old Testament prophet Elijah.
Table: Key Features of the Basilica and Site
- Primary dedication: Our Lady of Mount Carmel; Prophet Elijah honored throughout
- Architectural highlights: Thick stone walls, pointed arches, cruciform plan, central dome
- Iconography: Elijah’s fiery ascent; David; Isaiah; Holy Family; founders of Carmelite order
- Statues: Virgin Mary in Lebanon cedar (1931-32); additional 1820 Madonna
- Grotto: Cave beneath altar associated with Elijah
- Memorials: 1799 French soldiers’ monument; seal of the Carmelites over entrance
- Nearby landmarks: Stella Maris Lighthouse; Elijah’s Cave by the shore
Biblical scholar E. M. Blaiklock captures the vividness of the scene: “Picture it - the rabble of priests, their monotonous chant hypnotising the devotees to the point when they slashed body and limb in wild passion, the shaggy prophet sitting near and mocking their vain supplications, Ahab’s tent and rich entourage, the great curve of the watching, waiting host. Then the stab of fire and the burning sacrifice . . .
