Many people know that the “Softening of Evil Hearts” icon, beloved and revered by all Orthodox people, has sister named "Semistrelnaya". Outwardly, they are very similar; both depict the image of the Virgin Mary with seven swords or arrows pierced into her chest. The Russian Orthodox Church, considering them to be editions (varieties) of a common iconographic type, recognizes their identity and unites the days of celebration. Talking about one of them, it is impossible not to remember the other.
Are there any differences between these two icons?
The external difference between the “sisters” is only that the icon “Softening Evil Hearts,” a photo of which is presented at the beginning of the article, depicts the Mother of God with three swords stuck on the left, three on the right, and one on the bottom. The “Seven Shot” icon depicts four swords on the left and three on the right. However, this feature is often ignored by icon painters. Often you see an inscription on an icon that does not correspond to the location of the swords. By the way, sometimes there can be arrows instead of swords. What does this weapon symbolize, piercing the chest of the Blessed Virgin? IN Orthodox Church Two interpretations of this image have been accepted.
Gospel interpretation of the image
The first of them refers this symbolism to a famous episode from the New Testament. The Gospel tells how on the appointed day the Baby Jesus was brought to the temple, as required by the Law of Moses. In the temple, the Mother of God with Jesus in her arms and her betrothed Joseph were met by an old priest named Simeon. He was righteous and spent his life in fasting and prayer.
For many years, the words of the Holy Scriptures lived in his soul, which predicted the birth of the Son of God from a virgin. Seeing Mary with Jesus in her arms, he saw God in him through the Holy Spirit. Filled with the consciousness of the fulfilled prophecy, Simeon turned to Mary with words in which he told about the greatness of what had happened, but predicted Her suffering as a result of the atoning sacrifice made by Her son.
Simeon's prophecy
In his words addressed to Mary, he likened suffering to a weapon piercing the soul. Such an interpretation gave rise to the fact that the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” received another, unofficial, name - “Simeon’s Prophecy.” It is no coincidence that suffering is represented in the form of swords, and in some icons - arrows. In any version, a weapon is a symbol of shed blood.
The answer to the question of why it is customary to depict seven swords on an icon can be found in biblical texts. The number seven always symbolizes the completeness and redundancy of something. It is precisely the fullness of the suffering of the Mother of God, who saw her Son crucified on the cross for atonement for the sins of the whole world, that should be expressed by the seven swords piercing Her chest.
The Orthodox Church also accepts a different interpretation of the image. In accordance with it, the icon expresses the suffering of the Mother of God caused to Her by human sins. The number seven symbolizes the seven deadly sins spoken of in the Holy Scriptures. This topic is so important that it is worth dwelling on it in more detail.
Sins that destroy a person's soul
It is curious that in the early tradition christian church East, the so-called “eight-fold” scheme for calculating sins was adopted. It became “septenary”, accepted in our church, only in the 6th century. It was introduced by Pope Gregory I, who went down in history under the name Gregory the Great. In some modern schemes, the order of sins leading to the destruction of the soul changes, but pride is always recognized as the most serious of them. It is she who pushes people to a variety of unseemly acts, and sometimes even to crimes. Following pride are listed stinginess, envy, anger, lust, gluttony (gluttony) and despondency. It is not by chance that it is included in this black list. Dejection is always generated by a person’s lack of faith in the omnipotence of God and His help.
Where did the image come from?
“Softening Evil Hearts” is an icon of North Russian origin. Tradition says that the creation of the original miraculous image dates back to ancient times. However, analysis of the icon, painted on a canvas pasted on a board, forces us to attribute its appearance to XVIII century. Obviously this is a list made from an earlier example. In pre-revolutionary years, the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” was located in one of the monasteries in the Vologda province.
The legend of the acquisition of a miraculous image
Tradition has preserved for us the story of the miraculous appearance of this image. It tells how a peasant who lived near Vologda long years suffered from lameness. No matter how much he turned to doctors and healers, he received no help. He had already humbled himself and was ready to bear this cross until the end of his days.
But then one day in a dream, a peasant heard a mysterious voice, commanding him to go to the Theological Church for healing, and there, in the bell tower, where the old, dilapidated icons were kept, to find the image Holy Mother of God and pray before him. With all his soul the peasant believed what he heard and went to church. However, it took a long time to persuade the clergy to allow him to undertake the search. Only after asking three times did they go up to the bell tower with him.
Here, to their horror, they actually discovered an icon of the Virgin Mary, covered with a layer of dirt. It was used as a simple board on the stairs. This was the icon “Softening Evil Hearts.” There was obvious sacrilege, because the image, even if old, was stepped on while climbing the stairs. When the icon was thoroughly washed, it was taken to the church and prayed for. Soon the lameness left the peasant.
A new miracle revealed by the icon
Miracles revealed by holy icons are not uncommon in Rus'. So the miraculous icon “Softening Evil Hearts” could have been lost among other holy images, if not for a new miracle that glorified it. IN previous centuries Epidemics often occurred in our country, sometimes claiming tens of thousands of lives. One such epidemic occurred in 1830. Having captured the North of Russia, it caused terrible devastation in Vologda.
With the blessing of the ruling bishop, the icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” was transferred to Vologda and placed in one of the churches of the city. Pious townspeople greeted the shrine with a religious procession. The flow of people to her never stopped. This is not surprising, because the prayer to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” brought healing from illnesses and help in everyday troubles.
Unfortunately, the fate of the icon after the revolution is unknown. In 1930, the Church of St. John the Theologian, where the image was located, was closed, and services there resumed today. But that icon disappeared without a trace.
The appearance of a new miraculous icon
Today another one has been found miraculous image, known as the “Softening Evil Hearts” myrrh-streaming icon. She is unique in many ways. First of all, this miraculous icon was made in a typographical way, which in such cases is quite rare. Only the providence of God, unknown to us, can explain the fact that this icon, bought in a simple church shop, was suddenly filled with a life unknown to us. Many who approached her testify: they were left with the feeling that they were communicating with a living being.
The miraculous appearance of this icon was preceded by tragic events. In the fall of 1997, another myrrh-streaming icon, the “Iverskaya-Montreal” icon, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. This happened on the day of the martyrdom of its guardian. However, it is gratifying to realize that the Most Holy Theotokos did not abandon the Orthodox people. Through a short time One pious Muscovite named Margarita bought the image “Softening Evil Hearts” in a church shop.
Icon exuding myrrh
At first glance, the icon was no different from other icons on display. The woman brought it home and placed it on a shelf among other images. Miracles began immediately. Margarita noticed drops appearing on the surface of the icon. It turned out that it was myrrh. The myrrh-streaming icon “Softening Evil Hearts” began to react to everything in some way important events happening in the world.
Before the explosions of houses in the capital in 1999, it was noticed that the face of the Virgin Mary on the icon suddenly changed. Dark circles under the eyes became sharply visible, and the smell of incense spread throughout the apartment. In a day tragic death of the Kursk submarine, bleeding wounds appeared on the surface of the image. From then on, it was like this: the image constantly streams myrrh, and on the eve of tragic events it becomes covered with drops of blood.
There is also plenty of evidence that praying to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” brings healing from illnesses. Such facts are recorded in a special journal.
World famous miraculous image
Now the icon “Softening Evil Hearts,” whose importance is constantly growing, travels a lot around the world. A precious ark was made for her, and a chapel was built in the Moscow region. When the election of the new Patriarch of All Rus' took place in Moscow in 2009, the myrrh-streaming icon was in the hall where this historical event took place.
The wonderful properties of the image are also manifested in the fact that it literally chooses its own travel routes. The keeper of the icon - the husband of the very Margarita to whom the image appeared - testifies to the fact that it is impossible to outline anything in advance. Everything happens according to the will of invisible forces. What seemed simple turns out to be unrealistic, and the incredible is accomplished easily and simply. The icon “Softening Evil Hearts,” the photo of which completes the article, is this famous icon. She never stops helping people.
Troparion to the miraculous icon
The troparion to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” amazes with the depth of feeling and thought contained in it. Even people who are not churchgoers, but who have a sensitive soul and kind hearted, cannot listen to him indifferently. It is very characteristic that it begins with a request for the softening of our own hearts and ends with words about deliverance from death in our own hard-heartedness and the hard-heartedness of our neighbors. The great truth is contained in this troparion: the path to improving the world begins with oneself, but one should follow this path only with the help of God.
Akathist to the miraculous image
In terms of spiritual mood, the akathist to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” is also close to the troparion. In printed publications, its text is preceded by an indication that it should be read in case of any manifestations of hostility, be it confrontation in the family or at work. They resort to it when someone tries to rise above others or humiliate their neighbor. And although by its nature the akathist is, first of all, a hymn of praise, everywhere one can see the idea that we are God’s creations and are powerless without his help. Created in the image and likeness of God, we must be worthy of our Creator and His Most Pure Mother.
Icon from the Don shores
There is one associated with the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” interesting story which occurred during the Second World War. On the banks of the Don, near the city of Pavlovsk, there was an Italian military unit that fought on the side of the Germans. Soviet artillery fired massively at the area where the Italians were located. Wanting to hide from the fire and save themselves from certain death, the soldiers hid in chalk caves, which are found in abundance on the banks of the river. And then one of the Italians found an ancient icon in the cave labyrinths.
This was one of the copies from the “Softening Evil Hearts” icon. When the fire died down, he took it to the regimental chaplain. Italians are also Christians, although they profess Catholicism. The chaplain, realizing the value of the find, placed the icon in the camp church. It soon became clear that the found icon had previously been located in a cave monastery blown up by the Bolsheviks. The Italians called it the Don Icon in honor of the river on the banks of which they found it.
The miraculous image brought these Italians alive from the fire of that terrible war, who had become bargaining chips in someone else’s ruthless political game. Veterans of the regiment testified that they saw their relatives again only thanks to the intercession of the Mother of God, sent down through the icon, which they continue to call Donskaya.
Thus, the Most Pure Mother of God shows her help and mercy through icons that are very close and similar, like sisters. These are the “Softening of Evil Hearts”, the “Seven Arrow” icon and the “Donskaya” icon, now kept in Italy. They belong to a single iconographic type and are united in their spiritual content.
That's how amazing she is - antique icon"Softening Evil Hearts." What does she protect us all from? Probably from ourselves, from our malice and anger. And if, after prayers addressed to the icon, the heart of each of us softens, then the arrows of suffering will stop piercing the chest of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Since the beginning of iconography, the great creators of graphic art have been able to depict the main characters of the Holy Bible in different ways. However artistic image The “Softening Evil Hearts” icon has a special graphic design, the details of which have a distinctive uniqueness.
Unlike the traditional image of the Mother of God with her child, which is widely known to the Russian Orthodox society, on the sacred canvas Tenderness of Evil Hearts, the mother of Jesus Christ, revered by all, is depicted along with sharp daggers piercing her body.
History of the icon
At present, little is known about the origin of the shrine, and many scientists put forward a variety of points of view on this matter. Among them there is one very common one, according to which the myrrh-streaming icon “Softening Evil Hearts” was created by foreign Catholic believers, who subsequently decided to voluntarily hand it over to the ancient Russian state.
The legend says that once upon a time, one serf peasant had a chance to experience very difficult times that accompanied his life with the manifestation of incessant pain. And one night, while in a deep dream, the elder heard a strange voice that kept coming from different sides of the room. He spoke about the ancient Church of St. John the Evangelist and its bell tower. It was there that the icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” was located, capable of helping the peasant eliminate the unpleasant and terrorizing illness. However, her canvas had to be found among numerous shrines, which were kept from prying eyes in a specially designated place. Having discovered the Softening icon right inside the bell tower, the peasant prayed and was immediately healed.
Many Orthodox believers, in order to honor the memory and pray in front of the icon Mother of God"Softening Evil Hearts" Sundays are heading to Moscow. Since a beautiful temple of the Archangel Michael was erected on the territory of the capital, where this icon is now located. Other exact lists of it can be found by visiting the Church of St. Lazarus, located in Volgograd or in the Moscow region inside the Church of the Mother of God.
Characteristics of the image
The drawn daggers digging into the flesh of the Virgin Mary clearly symbolize the manifestation of topical, immoral and illegal actions that some people are accustomed to constantly commit, based on their own selfish goals. And all these sinful acts committed from time to time different representatives society, traumatize the innocent Virgin Mary, who continues to suffer more and more from this.
Moreover, the exact number of these weapons presented on the canvas of the Most Holy Theotokos “Softening Evil Hearts” is a reflection of the most terrible deadly sins that continue to be committed at the present time. These include the following acts:
- anger and aggression;
- envy;
- gluttony (gluttony);
- treason;
- sadness or despondency;
- greed;
- pride.
The only way to salvation is alive human soul from her wicked crime comes repentance before the Lord God. It is to him that the sacred image of the Mother of God, which is depicted on the myrrh-streaming icon of Softening Evil Hearts, calls upon him.
Orthodox believers need to remember that such biblical compositions as “Softening Evil Hearts” and “Seven Shots” differ from each other in the arrangement of the daggers in the image. In the first version, they can be seen digging into the heart of the Mother of God from three sides, including the bottom. And at the Seven Shot shrine, the daggers are distributed only on the sides.
How does the icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” help?
Since ancient times, the icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” has been extremely important for all religiously believing citizens. It helps people improve relationships between each other and prevent the most unfavorable consequences between spouses, children and loved ones.
This shrine is especially revered on the day of its annual celebration, which is usually celebrated on August 26, as well as on All Saints Week.
Prayer to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts”
The text of the prayer for the icon “Pacification of Evil Hearts” is as follows:
O many-spirited Mother of God, Higher than all the daughters of the earth, in Your purity and in the multitude of sufferings You have transferred to the earth, accept our much-painful sighs and keep us under the shelter of Your mercy. For you do not know other refuge and warm intercession, but, since you have the boldness to be born of You, help and save us with Your prayers, so that we may without stumbling reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing praises in the Trinity to the One God, now and ever and forever and ever.
O who will not please Thee, O Blessed Virgin, who will not sing of Thy mercy to the human race. We pray to you, we ask you, do not leave us perishing in evil, dissolve our hearts with love and send your arrow to our enemies, may our hearts be wounded by peace against those who persecute us. If the world hates us - You extend Your love to us, if the world persecutes us - You accept us, give us the blessed strength of patience - to endure the trials that happen in this world without grumbling. Oh, Lady! Soften your hearts evil people, who rise up against us, may their hearts not perish in evil - but pray, O Blessed One, Thy Son and our God, that he may pacify their hearts with peace, and let the devil - the father of evil - be put to shame! We, singing Thy mercy towards us, the evil, the indecent, will sing to Thee, O Most Wonderful Lady of the Blessed Virgin, hear us at this hour, those who have contrite hearts, protect us with peace and love for each other and for our enemies, eradicate from us all malice and enmity, let us sing to You and Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: Alleluia! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Theology used sacred poetic images to describe mental forces that do not have an image, meaning our mind, taking care of its inherent and akin ability to rise from the earthly to the heavenly and adapting its mysterious sacred images to its concepts.
Saint Dionysius the Areopagite.
"On the Heavenly Hierarchy"
“Softening Evil Hearts”... There is so much hope in the name of this icon - the hope that one day truth will triumph on earth, that people will become kind and merciful, and will begin to love each other. And how difficult it is in our cruel world, and sometimes only the sight of someone else’s suffering can soften our own evil heart...
This icon is also called “Simeon’s Prophecy.” As the Evangelist Luke narrates, the righteous elder Simeon the God-Receiver was predicted by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. And when the parents, on the fortieth day after the birth of the Baby, brought Him to the Jerusalem Temple, Simeon came there “by inspiration”, took the Baby in his arms (hence the nickname God-Receiver) and said famous words, with which every Vespers service has since ended and is known as the Prayer of St. Simeon the God-Receiver: “Now Thou releasest Thy servant, O Master, according to Thy word, in peace...” Afterwards he blessed St. Joseph and the Most Pure Mother of the Savior and turned to Mary with the same Simeon’s prophecy: “Behold, this One is destined for the fall and rebellion of many in Israel and for the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pierce Your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Just as Christ is pierced with nails and a spear, so the soul of the Most Pure One will be struck by some “weapon” of sadness and heartache when She sees the suffering of the Son; Afterwards, the hitherto hidden thoughts (about the Messiah) of people who will have to make a choice will be revealed: they are with Christ or against Him. This interpretation of Simeon’s prophecy became the subject of several “symbolic” icons of the Virgin Mary. All those who come to them with prayer feel that when the heart is softened, mental and physical suffering is alleviated, and they realize: when they pray before these images for their enemies, then their hostile feelings soften, giving way to mercy, internecine warfare and enmity subside.
The image of “Softening Evil Hearts” apparently comes from Southwestern Rus', however historical information Unfortunately, there was never anything about him; it is not even known where and when the icon appeared. The Most Pure “Softening of Evil Hearts” is written with swords stuck into Her heart - three on the right and left, one on the bottom. The number “seven” in the Holy Scriptures usually means the completeness, redundancy of something, and in this case, the fullness and vastness of the grief, sadness and “heart disease” that the Mother of God experienced during Her earthly life. Sometimes the Eternal Child is also written on the lap of the Most Pure Virgin.
The celebration of this image takes place on the Sunday of All Saints (on the first Sunday after Trinity).
Another miraculous image is very close to “Softening Evil Hearts” - the “Seven Arrow” icon of the Mother of God. The only difference between them is that on the “Semistrelnaya” swords are written differently - three with right side The Most Pure One and four on the left, and her celebration takes place on August 13 according to the old style.
“Semistrelnaya” is of North Russian origin: it resided in the Church of St. John the Theologian on the banks of the Toshni River, which, not far from Vologda, flows into the river of the same name. A peasant from Kadnikovsky district suffered from lameness for many years, and no one could help him. But then one day, in a subtle dream, a certain voice commanded him to find the image of the Most Pure Mother in the bell tower of the Theological Church, where the old icons were kept, and to pray before it for healing. The peasant asked several times to be allowed into the bell tower, but they did not believe his words. Only the third time they allowed him to climb the bell tower. It turned out that the icon, covered with rubbish and dirt, served as a step on a staircase, and the bell ringers walked on it as if on a simple board. Horrified by the involuntary blasphemy, the clergy washed the icon and served a prayer service in front of it, after which the peasant received healing. Many more years passed, generations changed, this miracle was already forgotten, but in 1830, the Vologda province, like most of European Russia, suffered a terrible cholera epidemic. During it, the shrines from Toshni were transferred to Vologda and placed in the “cold” (summer) church of Dmitry Prilutsky on Navoloka - in the Vologda Zarechye, to the right of the main city bridge. Then the Christ-loving residents of Vologda turned to the “Semistrelnaya” and, together with other shrines, surrounded it with a solemn religious procession around the city. Cholera retreated as suddenly as it had come. According to legend, this image was more than five hundred years old, however, the features of the painting and the fact that it was written on canvas pasted onto a board indicate its much later origin - apparently, this list was made in XVIII century from the original image that has not reached us. In memory of the miraculous deliverance of Vologda from cholera, the townspeople ordered and placed in the Demetrius Church a list with the “Seven Shot”, from which miracles also began to occur over time. Worship here stopped in 1930 and resumed on July 13, 2001, but there was no shrine left in the temple.
During the Great Patriotic War in the south Voronezh region, in the area known as Belogorye (from the chalk cliffs on the right bank of the Don near the city of Pavlovsk), there were Italian mountain rifle units who fought on the side of the Nazis. In the second half of December 1942, soldiers from the platoon of Lieutenant Giuseppe Perego found the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” in a house destroyed by bombing, which they gave to their military priest, chaplain Father Policarpo from Valdagna. According to local residents, this icon came from the cave Resurrection Belogorsk monastery near Pavlovsk. The Italians called her “Madonna del Don” (“Madonna of the Don”; this image should not be confused with Our Lady of the Don). After the Ostrogozh-Rossoshansky offensive of Soviet troops in January 1943, the remnants of the defeated Italian corps left the borders of our country. Chaplain Policarpo took the “Madonna of the Don” with him to Italy, where a chapel was built especially for her in Mestre (mainland Venice), which still remains a place of mass pilgrimage for relatives and friends of Italian soldiers who died in Russia.
Finally, another miraculous icon of a similar type was in the cathedral of the city of Zhizdra in the southwest of the Kaluga province, near the Bryansk lands, and was known as “Passionate” or “And a weapon will pierce your very soul,” as it was listed in the cathedral inventory. She was also celebrated on August 13 - on the same day as the “Seven Arrow” and the much more widespread “Passion” icon of a completely different type (the original miraculous image was located in the Moscow Passion Monastery; on it, near the face of the “Hodegetria”, two Angels with instruments of the passion were depicted of the Lord - with a cross, a sponge and a spear). In contrast to such passionate ones, on the Zhizdrinsk icon the Most Pure One is written in a prayerful position; With one hand She supports the Child lying at Her feet, and with the other she covers Her chest from seven swords aimed at it.
Troparion, tone 4
Soften our evil hearts, Mother of God, and extinguish the misfortunes of those who hate us, and resolve all the tightness of our soul, for looking at Your holy image, we are touched by Your suffering and mercy for us and we kiss Your wounds, but we are horrified by the arrows of ours, who torment You. Do not let us, O Compassionate Mother, perish in our hard-heartedness and from the hard-heartedness of our neighbors, for You are truly the Softener of evil hearts.
Prayer
O Long-suffering Mother of God, Higher than all the daughters of the earth, in Your purity and in the multitude of sufferings You have endured on earth, accept our much-painful sighs and keep us under the shelter of Your mercy. For you do not know other refuge and warm intercession, but, since you have the boldness to be born of You, help and save us with Your prayers, so that we may without stumbling reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing praises in the Trinity to the One God, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.
All of us on life path various difficulties await. However, you can cope with them with the help of prayer. She can reason with a person, give him strength and desire to fight. The main thing is a sincere belief in the power of the religious text and adherence to the basic church canons. The topic of our article today is a prayer to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts.”
The meaning and power of the image
The image of the “Softening Evil Hearts” icon is quite interesting. Here, first of all, the Virgin Mary is represented, pierced with seven swords. This figure was not chosen by chance, since from the very beginning of Christianity it has denoted the completeness of everything that exists in the world. At the same time, the face of the Mother of God is an opportunity for a person to feel all the suffering that the Queen of Heaven went through. However, this is not the only meaning contained in the seven-arrow icon. It is believed that in this case seven denotes the main human sins. This image as if telling people that no atrocities will remain hidden from the Mother of God.
Some Christians hang this icon on the wall opposite front door Houses. However, before doing this, do not forget to thoroughly wash the place where you are going to hang it. Moreover, the prayer will need to be read for the first time before the image appears on the wall.
Read the prayer book with good intentions and bright thoughts. In this case, you will receive a powerful amulet for your family against people who are angry with you and envious people. Be sure to hang such an icon in front of the front door so that the Virgin Mary sees everyone who enters your house. This way you will protect your loved ones from negative energy, which comes from ill-wishers.
It is very important to buy a candle in the church and light it in front of the icon every time you are going to recite this sacred text.
Video “The miraculous image of the “Softening of Evil Hearts” of the Mother of God”
From the video you will learn the meaning of the “Softening Evil Hearts” icon, and in what cases you need to turn to the holy face.
Prayer text
O long-suffering Mother of God, Higher than all the daughters of the earth, in Your purity and in the multitude of sufferings You have endured on earth, accept our much-painful sighs and keep us under the shelter of Your mercy. Do You know of no other refuge and warm intercession, but, since You have the boldness to be born of You, help and save us with Your prayers, so that we may without stumbling reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing praises in the Trinity to the one God, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Having come into this world, into this incarnation, everyone lives their own life, but there are moments when we understand that not everything is going well and smoothly for us. We wonder - why is this happening?
Enemies who wish evil may also appear. And very often we pray to the Lord to help us understand such situations and turn to prayers and icons.
One of strongest prayers is the prayer “softening evil hearts”, which helps with illnesses - mental and physical. They pray in front of the icon “Softening Evil Hearts”, also known as “Simeon’s Prophecy” or “Seven Arrows”, which confirms with its name the prophecies of Simeon the God-Receiver of the Mother of God, who lived a righteous life. Presumably, his image is initially considered to have come from Southwestern Rus' more than five hundred years ago, but there is no exact information about the birth of the icon.
In the icon, the heart of the Mother of God is presented with pierced swords - three on the right, three on the left and one below, thereby confirming the entire measure of the sadness of her earthly existence.
The seven-shot icon is close and identical in image to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts”, differing in the writing of swords - there are three swords on the right side of the Mother of God, and four on the left.
The swords depicted on the icon are also interpreted as the 7 deadly sins, and one must pray for the softening of evil hearts before the image of the Mother of God in atonement for these sins.
Examples of healing
Believers venerate this icon, which confirms its power in healing from all kinds of ailments. This is how a peasant from the Vologda province suffering from lameness was healed. Treatment and healers could not help him, and the voice he heard during sleep directed him to the bell tower of the Ionian Theological Church, where the icon of the Mother of God was located. Thanks to persistent searches, the icon was found upside down in the form of a staircase board. After bringing the image into proper form, a prayer service was served in front of it, and a miracle happened - the sick peasant was healed, and there were many such examples later.
This miraculous icon, surrounded by a religious procession around Vologda, stopped the cholera epidemic in 1830, justifying people’s hopes and giving even more faith in it. One of them is also the veneration of the healing icon of Italian believers. History tells how in the years Patriotic War Italian mountain rifle soldiers serving in a unit in Belogorye - the south of the Voronezh region - came across the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary and handed it over to Father Policarpo, who served as the military priest of the unit.
According to eyewitnesses, the icon formerly belonged to the Resurrection Belogorsk Monastery. The Italians called her the “Don Madonna,” and upon returning to her homeland, Father Policarpo brought her with him to a chapel specially built for her, which receives all those mourning the Italians who died in Russia.
Let Faith into your soul
The Orthodox Church of Rus' considers them representatives of the same type of execution of icons and, accordingly, the days of their veneration were united - August 13, according to the new style on August 26, and on the week of All Saints. It is then that the spoken prayer is considered especially effective.
That is why they recommend turning to the Angel with a pure heart and a prayer to soften evil hearts. bright soul. Pray only if you believe. If doubt has crept into your heart, then prayer should be postponed altogether until it is again filled with pious desires.
A sincere prayer to soften evil hearts, said in front of the icon, improves family relationships, protects from anger and mental irritation, from attacks by enemies - the request will always be heard.
Prayer for the icon “Softening Evil Hearts”
“O long-suffering Mother of God, Higher than all the daughters of the earth, in Your purity and in the multitude of sufferings You have brought to the earth, accept our much-painful sighs and keep us under the shelter of Your mercy. Do You know of no other refuge and warm intercession, but as one who has the boldness to be one of You? born, help and save us with your prayers, so that we may without stumbling reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing praises to the one God in the Trinity, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen."
It is best to light a church candle. In this way, you will improve your concentration and also make the face on the icon appear visually alive. Even scientists note that visualization helps to fulfill dreams, and in particular, soften evil hearts.
