Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16
Mount Carmel, in the Holy Land, gave its name to the Carmelite order, born there in the twelfth century. Tradition says that on July 16, 1251, Mary gave the brown scapular to St. Simon Stock. Carmen, the Spanish form of Carmel, is a name day on this date.
On the General Roman Calendar, July 16 is an optional memorial: Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Name days on July 16
In countries that keep name days, July 16 is the day for people named Carmen and Carmel. These names come from the same saint, as variants, nicknames or forms used in other languages.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Carmen | July 16 |
| Carmel | July 16 |
July 16 on the calendar
July 16 is the 197th day of the year (the 198th in a leap year), with 168 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday |
| 2027 | Friday |
| 2028 | Sunday |
| 2029 | Monday |
| 2030 | Tuesday |
Keeping July 16
July 16 falls in summer. As an optional memorial, each parish or priest may choose whether to celebrate it. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Carmen and Carmel, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around July 16
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| July 13 | St. Henry |
| July 14 | St. Kateri Tekakwitha |
| July 15 | St. Bonaventure |
| July 17 | Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne |
| July 18 | St. Camillus de Lellis |
| July 19 | St. Macrina the Younger |
The day before, July 15, is the day of St. Bonaventure. The day after, July 17, belongs to Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.