Scapular of the Sacred Heart

The Scapular of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular bearing an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the front panel, and an image of the Virgin Mary as Mother of Mercy on the panel which hangs at the wearer's back. In its current form, the design and the formal church approval for its use are due to Estelle Faguette, a French domestic servant, who in 1876 claimed to have received a series of apparitions during which the Virgin Mary showed this scapular and spoke about its use.

Prior to Estelle Faguette's 1876 claims, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus had been made popular by the 17th Century mystic, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque who herself made and distributed 'badges' bearing images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation Sister in Paray-le-Monial, France, claimed to have experienced visions of Jesus Christ during which he showed her his Sacred Heart. On 2 March 1686, she wrote to her Superior, Mother Saumaise, that the Jesus wished 'for her to order a picture of the image of that Sacred Heart for people specifically to venerate and have in their homes and also small pictures to carry with them'.

During the 18th Century, a Visitation sister, Venerable Ana Magdalena Rémuzat (1696-1730) worked hard to spread these badges. They were popular as a protection during the plague of Marseilles and also during the persecutions of the Catholics during the French Revolution.

Marie Leszczyńska, wife of King Louis XV also enthusiastically promoted this Badge. Pope Benedict XIV sent a gift of numerous red taffeta Badges of the Sacred Heart with gold embroidery, for her wedding in 1748. In 1872 Pope Pius IX granted an indulgence for the wearing this badge.

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Wikipedia