For Franciscan Tertiaries. Hand crafted by Traditional Nuns to the correct specifications. Measures 4" x 5". Made from pure woven and shrunken English Melton wool.

In the Middle Ages it became common for Christian faithful to share in the spirituality of the new Mendicant Orders. They became known as Third Orders because they were founded after the initial Orders of the friars and nuns.

Although members of the Third Order (called Tertiaries) were permitted to wear the "tertiary habit", because they had not taken religious vows they were not usually permitted to wear the full habit of the Order. With time, it was considered a high honour and great privilege to be granted a small scapular attached by bands which would be worn over the torso in the same manner as the full monastic scapular.

Confraternities came to be formed in which people would be granted the wearing of this scapular as a mark of their sharing in the good works of a particular Order.

Amongst Franciscans, they came to be known as Cordbearers, due to their also wearing a small cord around the waist in imitation of the one worn by the friar.