In The Virgin of Carmel Saving Souls in Purgatory, which iconographic element communicates hope?

• A. the halos
• B. the angels
• C. the scapulars
• D. the lilies

Answer: (C)

In religious art, the objects a figure holds or wears often carry specific promises or meanings. In this scene, the scapulars communicate hope because they function as a tangible sign of Mary’s intercession and the promise of spiritual help for souls in purgatory. The Carmelite scapular devotion is rooted in the belief that devotion to Mary and adherence to this sign affords support and relief, making the possibility of deliverance from purification visible and hopeful for viewers and the souls depicted.

Halos indicate sanctity, weighing only the person’s holiness. Angels point to divine aid, but they don’t carry the explicit pledge of Mary’s protection that scapulars symbolize. Lilies signify purity and Mary’s virtue, but they don’t convey the specific message of Marian intercession and the hoped-for relief from purgatory that the scapular represents.