The Detente, A Counterrevolutionary Symbol

During the Crusade of ’36, the requetés popularized the use of the detente in Spain. It was a piece of fabric, usually oval-shaped, embroidered with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, surrounded by the phrase: «Detente, el Corazón de Jesús está conmigo. Venga a nos tu reino» [«Stop, the Heart of Jesus is with me. Thy Kingdom come.»] As soldiers of the cause, and as their devotional books declared, each requeté considered himself a soldier of a crusade that placed God as its ultimate end and entrusted its triumph to Him. Their faith was practical, concise, simple, and military, more than merely devotional. One of their distinctive signs, along with the raised cross that accompanied each tercio, was the detente, which they wore proudly on their shirts, on the chest.

The emblem of the requetés traces its origins to pre-revolutionary France in the 17th century. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun at the Monastery of Paray-le-Monial, received a command in one of the revelations concerning the Sacred Heart of Jesus to create plaques bearing His image. This is confirmed by a letter she wrote to Mother Saumaise on March 2, 1686: “He (Jesus) desires that you have copper plaques made with the image of His Sacred Heart so that all who wish to honor Him may place them in their homes, and smaller ones to wear on their person.” She herself wore one beneath her habit and encouraged her novices to do the same. She made many of these images and recommended their use as being very pleasing to the Sacred Heart.

Its fame spread further during the terrible plague that devastated Marseille in 1720. The Venerable Anne-Madeleine Rémuzat, to whom the Lord had revealed in advance the devastation the plague would cause, also received knowledge of the miraculous aid the city would find in devotion to His Sacred Heart. With the help of her religious sisters, she made thousands of these emblems and distributed them throughout the city and surrounding areas. History tells us that shortly thereafter, the plague ceased. It was during this epidemic that both the oval shape and the name detente—derived from the Latin phrase Detente Pestem, Invocavit Nomen Tuum—became widely recognized.

During the brutal religious persecution unleashed by the French Revolution, these scapulars were considered “a living manifestation of fanaticism” and a sign of hostility toward the revolutionary regime. In the trial of Queen Marie Antoinette, a thin piece of paper found among her belongings was used against her as evidence. It bore the image of the Sacred Heart with its wound, the Cross, and the crown of thorns, along with the inscription: “Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.”

Likewise, during the Cristero War in Mexico, amid the religious persecution led by President Plutarco Elías Calles, the detente was widely used by the cristeros, who firmly believed that with the help of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, they would emerge victorious.

In 1870, a Roman lady, wishing to know the opinion of Pope Pius IX regarding the detente of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, presented one to him. Moved by this sign of salvation, the Pope gave his definitive approval to this devotion, saying: “This, madam, is an inspiration from Heaven. Yes, from Heaven.” After a brief silence, he added:

«I will bless this Heart, and I want all that are made according to this model to receive the same blessing, without the need for another priest to renew it. Moreover, I want Satan to have no power to harm those who carry this Shield, the symbol of the Adorable Heart of Jesus.»

Pope Pius IX also granted, in 1872, an indulgence of 100 days, once per day, to all the faithful who wore this pious emblem around their necks and recited an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.

A brief dated June 20, 1873, addresses two questions regarding the detente, which are worth mentioning. First, since it is not a scapular in the strict sense of the word but rather a shield or emblem of the Sacred Heart, the general rules governing scapulars do not apply to it. Therefore, it does not require a special blessing, ceremony, or inscription. Simply wearing it around the neck is sufficient. However, in my humble opinion, it is better for it to be blessed by a priest in the traditional manner, using holy water mixed with salt. Secondly, the inscription “Detente, the Heart of Jesus is here” is not mandatory, although, again in my opinion, it should be as close as possible in both meaning and wording.

Though it cannot strictly be classified as a scapular, it should not be excluded from the category of sacramentals—those religious objects approved by the Church as signs that help us live holy lives and grow in devotion. Sacramentals should inspire us to renounce all sin, even venial sin. Encouraged by this sign, the Carlist remembers at every moment the Ordinance of the Requeté:

«Ante Dios nunca serás héroe anónimo. Tú, soldado de la tradición, habrás de tener puesto en el Reino de Dios». [«Before God, you will never be an anonymous hero. You, soldier of Tradition, shall have a place in the Kingdom of God.»]