The traditional Brazilian scapular, set on a paper clip chain. Two small rectangular medals, Our Lady of Mount Carmel with the Christ Child on one panel and the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the other, hang from a flat, elongated-link chain that adjusts from 16 to 18 inches. Both medals ride on the chain rather than sitting fixed, so you can wear them together at the center or spaced apart. The reverse of each medal is engraved with a Bible verse in Portuguese, and Guadalupe Gifts® imports the necklace from Guaporé, Brazil.

Adjustable 16 to 18 inches with a 2-inch extension · 18K gold plating over brass.

Where This Scapular Comes From

This necklace is imported from Guaporé, a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. Guaporé is one of the leading jewelry centers of southern Brazil, with a craft tradition rooted in its Italian immigrant community and refined over generations into the distinctive Brazilian style of devotional jewelry. The medals on this piece are the same Brown Scapular medals worn throughout Brazil for daily devotion. What changes here is the chain.

Why the Paper Clip Chain

A paper clip chain is built from flat, elongated oval links set end to end, longer and more open than a standard cable link. It reads as contemporary jewelry rather than as a traditional devotional chain, and that is the point of this version. At 16 to 18 inches, it sits at the base of the neck or just at the collarbone, above most necklines, where the medals are meant to be seen rather than tucked away.

The chain also layers well. Because the links are wide and flat, the necklace holds its shape against the skin and does not tangle with a longer chain worn underneath or over it. If you already wear a Miraculous Medal or a Guadalupe pendant on a longer chain, this piece sits cleanly above it.

Medals That Move on the Chain

Each medal hangs from a ring that rides along the links rather than being fixed in one position. The two medals can sit side by side at the center of the chain, the way they are photographed, or be separated so they rest a little apart. This is a small thing, but it makes the piece behave differently from a soldered two-pendant necklace: it settles naturally as you wear it and adjusts to your neckline.

The Adjustable 16 to 18 Inch Length

The chain measures 16 inches with a 2-inch extension, giving a wearable range of 16 to 18 inches.

• At 16 inches, the necklace sits high, at the base of the neck, close to a short choker position on most adults.
• At 18 inches, it drops to the collarbone, the most common everyday necklace length for women.

The extension makes this a practical gift when you don't know the recipient's neck size, a common problem when buying jewelry for someone else. It also means the piece grows with a teenager rather than being outgrown. Unlike the 26-inch Brazilian ball chain version, this necklace opens and closes with a clasp, so you put it on and take it off normally rather than slipping it over your head.

The Brown Scapular and What It Represents

The Brown Scapular is one of the oldest sacramentals in the Catholic Church. According to tradition, it was given by Our Lady of Mount Carmel to Saint Simon Stock, an English Carmelite, in 1251. The original is made of two small panels of brown wool worn over the shoulders, one resting on the chest and the other on the back, connected by cords. It signifies the wearer's consecration to Mary, commitment to a life of prayer, and trust in her maternal protection. The wool scapular is conferred on the wearer during a brief ceremony performed by a Catholic priest.

This necklace is a wearable jewelry adaptation of that tradition, faithful to the original two-panel structure. For Catholics formally enrolled in the Brown Scapular, this piece complements, rather than replaces, the cloth scapular. Many wear both: the cloth scapular under clothing as the formal sacramental, and a scapular necklace as a visible daily expression of devotion.

The Two Medals

The Brown Scapular tradition features two specific images, one on each panel:

• Our Lady of Mount Carmel with the Christ Child, the traditional Carmelite image, associated with the Brown Scapular devotion since the 13th century. Her feast day is celebrated on July 16.
• The Sacred Heart of Jesus, with his exposed heart surrounded by a halo of light, represents his infinite love and mercy for humanity. The Sacred Heart devotion is associated with the visions of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque at Paray-le-Monial in the 17th century.

Both medals measure 0.4 inches tall by 0.3 inches wide, the same size as those on our 26-inch Brazilian scapular. Each medal has a fine beaded border, cast rather than stamped flat, which gives the small panels depth.

The Portuguese Bible Verses on the Reverse

The reverse of each medal is engraved with a verse from Scripture in Portuguese, a detail of authentic Brazilian-made scapulars:

• Pela graça sois salvos, Efésios 2:8 (on the reverse of the Sacred Heart medal): "By grace you have been saved," Saint Paul's words to the Ephesians on the sufficiency of God's grace.
• O Senhor te abençoe e te guarde, Números 6:24 (on the reverse of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel medal): "The Lord bless you and keep you," the opening words of the Priestly Blessing from the Book of Numbers.

Because the medals move freely on this chain, the reverse turns as you wear it, and the verses show as often as the images do. The Portuguese inscriptions make this an authentically Brazilian piece rather than a generic reproduction.

18K Gold Plating

The medals and chain are finished in 18K gold plating over brass. The 18K plating uses higher-purity gold (75%) than standard 14K plating (58.5%), giving the finish a warmer, more saturated gold tone and better resistance to discoloration than lower-karat plating. The plating is bonded to a solid brass base, the standard construction for devotional jewelry at most price points worldwide.

Specifications

Who This Scapular Is For

• Catholic women who want the Brown Scapular devotion in a piece that reads as everyday jewelry, worn visibly at the collarbone rather than tucked under a shirt
• Anyone buying a devotional necklace as a gift without knowing the recipient's size, since the 2-inch extension covers the common range.
• Confirmation gift for a teenager or young adult marking their formal commitment to the faith
• Sweet 16 or graduation gift with lasting devotional meaning
• Mother's Day, Día de las Madres, birthday, or Christmas gift for a Catholic mother, godmother, grandmother, or sister
• Gift for someone with Brazilian heritage or Lusophone family ties, given the Portuguese Bible verses on the reverse
• Anyone who layers necklaces and wants a shorter piece to sit above a longer chain
• Companion piece for someone formally enrolled in the cloth Brown Scapular who wants a visible daily expression of the devotion

Note on sizing: at 16 to 18 inches, this is a shorter necklace that sits higher. Most adult men will find it too short and should look at the 26-inch Brazilian scapular instead. It is not recommended for infants or toddlers.

How This Compares to Our 26-Inch Brazilian Scapular

Both pieces come from the same Guaporé workshop and use the same two Brown Scapular medals, the same Portuguese verses on the reverse, and the same 18K gold plating over brass. The difference is how they are worn:

• This piece (paper clip chain, 16 to 18 inches): clasp and 2-inch extension; medals are movable on the chain; sits at the base of the neck or collarbone, visible above a neckline; built for daily styling and layering.
• The 26-inch ball chain scapular: continuous chain with no clasp, fine ball links, slips over the head, sits low at chest level under clothing, built for continuous devotional wear.

Choose this one if you want the devotion to be seen. Choose the 26-inch if you want to wear it continuously and out of sight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this scapular be blessed?

Yes. Like all sacramentals, this scapular can be blessed by any Catholic priest or deacon after you receive it. Most parishes will bless devotional items after Mass at no cost, so bring it with you and ask. The Book of Blessings includes specific forms for blessing scapulars and religious medals. The scapular ships unblessed.

Does wearing a scapular necklace count as wearing the Brown Scapular?

Not in the formal sense. In 1910, Pope Saint Pius X allowed Catholics already enrolled in the Brown Scapular to wear a single metal scapular medal instead of the cloth, provided it shows the Sacred Heart of Jesus on one side and the Blessed Virgin Mary on the other and is blessed for that purpose. This necklace uses two separate medals, so wear it as a devotional reminder rather than the approved substitute. Many Catholics wear the cloth scapular under their clothes and a scapular necklace like this one as a visible sign of their devotion. For questions about enrollment, speak with a priest.

What is a paper clip chain?

A paper clip chain is made of flat, elongated oval links joined end to end, named for their resemblance to a chain of office paper clips. The links are longer and more open than standard cable links, giving the chain a modern look and letting it lie flat against the skin. It has become one of the most widely worn chain styles in contemporary jewelry, making this version of the Brazilian scapular read as everyday jewelry rather than a strictly devotional piece.

Can the medals really slide on the chain?

Yes. Each medal hangs from a ring that moves along the links rather than being soldered in place. In practice, they tend to settle together at the chain's lowest point, as shown in the photographs, but you can separate them by hand and wear them slightly apart.

Why does this one have a clasp when the traditional Brazilian scapular does not?

The traditional 26-inch Brazilian scapular is made without a clasp because it is intended for continuous wear as a sign of consecration, and 26 inches is long enough to pass over the head. This version is shorter, at 16 to 18 inches, which is too short to slip over the head, so it needs a clasp and extension. The trade-off is intentional: you give up the continuous-wear design for adjustable length and a necklace that sits where you can see it. If continuous wear is what matters to you, the 26-inch ball chain version is the better choice.

How long is the extension and how does it work?

The chain is 16 inches to the clasp, with a 2-inch extension chain attached at the opposite end. You can fasten the clasp at any link along the extension to wear the necklace at 16, 17, or 18 inches, or anywhere in between.

What does 18K gold-plated mean? Is this solid gold?

No. This is not solid 18K gold. It is brass with a layer of 18K gold plating bonded to the surface. The 18K refers to the purity of the gold in the plating layer (75% pure gold), as opposed to standard 14K plating (58.5% pure gold). Higher karat plating gives a warmer, more saturated yellow tone and tends to hold up better against discoloration, but it is still plating, a thin layer of gold over a brass base. For a scapular intended as a lifelong heirloom, a solid gold piece is a better fit.

Will the gold plating wear off over time?

Gold plating is a thin layer of gold bonded to a base metal, and it will eventually show wear with daily use. That is the nature of plated jewelry. The 18K plating used here resists discoloration better than standard 14K plating, and following the care instructions below helps the finish keep its appearance for years of regular wear.

Can a child wear this?

At 16 to 18 inches, this length works for older children and teenagers, and the 2-inch extension gives it room to grow. It is not recommended for infants or toddlers. For a First Communion gift, browse our scapular collection for pieces sized for younger children.

What do the Portuguese verses on the back of the medals mean?

The reverse of the Sacred Heart medal reads "Pela graça sois salvos, Ef 2:8," Portuguese for "By grace you have been saved," from Saint Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:8. The reverse of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel medal reads "O Senhor te abençoe e te guarde, Nu 6:24," Portuguese for "The Lord bless you and keep you," the opening of the Priestly Blessing from the Book of Numbers 6:24.

Is there a silver version?

Yes. The same scapular is available in a silver-plated version on the same paper clip chain.

Care Instructions

Gold-plated jewelry holds its finish longer with basic care. Keep the necklace away from perfumes, hairspray, lotions, and cosmetics, as alcohol and oils can dull the gold layer over time. Remove it before showering, swimming, exercising, or sleeping. Store it in the original white box or a soft pouch in a cool, dry place, laid flat so the paper clip links do not kink. Clean gently with a soft, dry cloth when needed.

Shipping and Returns

Please review our shipping details and our returns and exchanges page before ordering. Questions before buying? Email info@guadalupegifts.com or call 1-888-324-8402—se habla español. Business hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.

Also From Our Brazilian Scapular Collection

From the same Guaporé workshop tradition: the Gold-Plated Pearl Scapular Necklace, a link chain with evenly spaced simulated pearls and a standard clasp in 18- or 24-inch lengths; the 26-inch no-clasp ball-chain scapular for continuous devotional wear; and the new silver-plated paper-clip chain scapular necklace in a white finish.

Browse our full Catholic scapular collection, with necklaces and bracelets inspired by the Brown Scapular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

About Guadalupe Gifts

Guadalupe Gifts curates Catholic devotional jewelry through three sourcing channels: authentic French Miraculous Medals sourced at the Chapel at 140 Rue du Bac in Paris; pieces imported directly from established jewelry workshops in Guaporé, Brazil, and Arezzo, Italy; and everyday devotional pieces honestly described, fairly priced, and built for daily wear and based in Weston, Florida.