Among the many icons of the Theotokos, there are two, in the plot of which the prophecy of St. Simeon the God-Receiver about the grievous torment that, like a weapon, will pierce the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and about the grace of God that will be sent down to people. They are called - "Seven Arrows" and "Softener of Evil Hearts", the latter giving the name to a special prayer that has become widespread in the Orthodox world. About her and about the icons, before which it is customary to offer her up, will be discussed in this article.
Prophecy of the Righteous Elder
Reading the prayer of the Mother of God "Softening of Evil Hearts", it is useful to know not only its text, but the gospel story that formed the basis of writing. It is described in detail in the 2nd chapter of the Gospel of Luke, which tells how, on the fortieth day after the birth of the Eternal Infant, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Her betrothed, Saint Joseph, brought Him to the Jerusalem Temple, as required by the Jewish custom. There was the Holy Familymet by the righteous elder Simeon, who once received a prediction that he would not taste death until he saw the Mission.
Having understood on a whim from above that this hour had come, he took the Christ Child in his arms (which is why he began to be called the God-Receiver) and uttered the very prophecy that was mentioned above. The righteous elder said that, having seen Her Son crucified, the Theotokos would be filled with suffering and sorrow, which would cause Her unbearable torment, but they would further soften and open the hearts of people who accepted Christian teaching to God's truth. That is why the prayer to the Theotokos “Softening Evil Hearts” is filled with extraordinary grace-filled power, and, uttered with sincere faith, is always heard.
Seven swords that pierced the chest of the Blessed Virgin
As scientists assume, the pictorial image of the same name to this prayer, the plot of which is connected with the above Gospel story, first appeared in the South-West of Russia, however, there is no reliable information confirming this hypothesis. Moreover, it is not even known when this happened.
As for his composition of the icon, it traditionally includes the image of the Blessed Virgin with seven swords stuck into Her heart, symbolizing the suffering of mental anguish. At the same time, three of them are placed on the left side, three on the right, and one on the bottom. The icon is celebrated on February 2, as well as on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
Magic number
The number "seven", which is given meaning in the Holy Scripturesfullness and excess of something, in this case reflects the infinity of grief that overwhelmed the heart of the Virgin at the foot of the Cross, on which Her Eternal Son was crucified. We note in passing that the composition of some icons also includes the figure of the Infant Christ sitting on His Mother's lap.
Another version of the same look
The icon called "Seven-shooter" (celebration of August 13), which is almost a complete analogue of "Softener of Evil Hearts", is also widespread. The prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos is offered in both cases is the same, the difference consists only in minor compositional differences. Unlike the first icon, it depicts three swords on the right side of the Mother of God's chest and four on the left.
The origin of this iconographic type is also not entirely clear, but in this case, the lack of scientific data is made up for by the Holy Tradition, which tells of its miraculous acquisition and strengthens the faith of those who pray before it to soften evil hearts.
Finding the miraculous icon
As the ancient books tell, there was once a peasant who suffered from lameness, but did not lose hope of getting healed, once lived on the Vologda land. He offered many prayers before the holy images, but relief did not come. And then one day, in a thin dream, a mysterious voice ordered him to go to the nearby Theological Church and, having found on its bell tower among the old icons stored there, the image of the Most Pure Mother of God with swords thrust into Her, zealously before himpray.
Early in the morning he appeared at the indicated place, but received a categorical refusal from the church watchman to let him into the bell tower. The villagers who were present generally laughed at the peasant. It is not known what prayer he created in his soul to soften the evil hearts of these people, but they finally fell silent, and the rector who appeared listened to him and led him where he pointed.
What was everyone's astonishment when, under a layer of dust and various rubbish, an ancient image of the Virgin Mary was discovered, which, by mistake, was used as a stair step, and for a long time the bell ringers walked on it, like on an ordinary board. Having repented of involuntary blasphemy, the servants of the temple, and with them all those present, performed a prayer service in front of the newly acquired icon, after which the peasant was completely healed of lameness.
The icon that saved the city from cholera
Subsequently, this image, placed in Vologda in the temple of Dmitry Prilutsky, on Navolok, became famous for the fact that during the cholera epidemic that swept the city in 1830, it saved the lives of many of its inhabitants. The disease, which caused the death of several hundred citizens, suddenly receded after he was carried in procession along the main street.
It is generally accepted that it was then that the prayer “Softener of Evil Hearts” was first heard in front of the “Seven-shot” icon. Its full text is given in the article, and from it it is clear that prayers are offered to the Most Pure Theotokos for intercession before the Heavenly Son and the preservation of all who seek salvation under the shelter of Her mercy. Thisthen the inhabitants of the epidemic-ridden city were waiting for Her.
Today this miraculous image is in Vologda in the temple of the holy righteous Lazarus. It was moved there after the old village church, which became the place of its acquisition, was dismantled due to its extreme dilapidation. In the place where it once was, a worship cross has been erected, to which numerous pilgrimages are made.
Russian icon on Italian soil
The icon "Softener of Evil Hearts" was also glorified more than once by miracles. The prayer of the Mother of God, offered before her with faith in the omnipotence of God, is also heard and in most cases fulfilled. This image was acquired relatively recently. During the Great Patriotic War, in Belogorye, a vast area in the south of the Voronezh region, an Italian rifle unit was deployed, which fought on the side of the Germans. And then one day her officer, Lieutenant Giuseppe Perego, discovered in one of the caves on the banks of the Don an old image of the Virgin, which he took to the chaplain - a military priest. His discovery turned out to be an ancient icon "Softener of Evil Hearts", which previously belonged to the Belogorsk Cave Monastery, evacuated in the early days of the war.
After the end of hostilities, the Italian chaplain returned to his homeland and took with him the found icon, which he called the "Madonna of the Don". Since then, it has been kept in Venice, where a chapel was specially built for it, and is an object of pilgrimage for relatives of Italian soldiers who once died in Russia. Our compatriots also come there to offer up a prayer in front of the shrine to soften evil hearts and through it to ask for the intercession of the Queen of Heaven.
The Torment of the Blessed Virgin
Often both icons - "Seven Arrows" and "Softener of Evil Hearts", prayers before which are equally gracious, are referred to under the general name "Simeon's prophecy". This is due to the deep theological meaning inherent in them. It is generally accepted that standing at the foot of the Cross, the Blessed Virgin became the Mother of all people born of earthly women, and despite the fact that the agony of Her Eternal Son has long passed, she continues to suffer.
The Mother of God is tormented by her countless children on earth, who have violated Christ's commandments and do not cease to kill each other, deceive, create enmity and lawlessness. Each of their unrighteous deeds and even sinful thoughts plunges like a sharp sword into the heart of the Mother of God and causes Her unbearable torment.
This is the whole essence of the prophecy of the righteous elder Simeon, who announced that when people's thoughts are revealed, “weapons will pierce the soul” by Herself. It is not surprising, therefore, that in order to visually express such a deep idea, icon painters used an image at the sight of which even the most hardened human soul from sins should tremble and turn to God. At the same time, a form of living communication with Jesus Christ can be a prayer to soften evil hearts, in which the intercession of the Blessed Virgin before Her Son is requested.
Earth woman,containing God
In this regard, the question may arise: why is it customary to offer prayers to the Mother of God in those cases when, without the intervention and help of the Heavenly Forces, it is impossible to cope with the surrounding troubles or destroy the intrigues perpetrated by the enemy of the human race? The answer in this case is quite obvious: being a simple earthly woman by birth, the Most Pure Virgin Mary, by the will of the Creator, contained the infinite God in Herself. Thus, she went beyond human nature and became a kind of higher being, surpassing in her holiness angels, archangels and all other representatives of the Heavenly Forces.
There is a long tradition in theology to associate the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Church founded by Her Son. It must be understood as follows: just as through the feminine nature of the Mother of God Jesus Christ became incarnate in His earthly form, so through the body of the Church He continues to invisibly dwell among us. At the same time, the sin that once invaded the world through the first woman - the foremother Eve, was completely redeemed by the Savior, who incarnated through His Most Pure Mother. That is why the prayer of the Mother of God is especially gracious in front of the icons “Seven Arrows” and “Softener of Evil Hearts”.
Afterword
At the end of the article, we remind you that before turning in prayers to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary or to any of the host of saints, you should always first of all reconcile with your neighbors and, if possible, do some good deeds, because that without them faith is dead. The Church Fathers teach that it is better to pray less, but at the same time do good, than by demonstrating onwords of faith, disregard God's commandments.
