Events from the history of the icon

Exact Origin Icons "Softening" evil hearts» shrouded in uncertainty - it is assumed that it came from somewhere in Southwestern Rus', and there, perhaps, from the West, since the veneration of this image in Catholicism is known. Otherwise, this icon is called “Simeon’s Prophecy”, based on the text of the Gospel of Luke about the righteous Simeon the God-Receiver - an old man to whom it was revealed that he would not pass away until he saw the Baby Messiah. And when on the fortieth day after the birth of Christ they brought Him to the temple, Simeon also came there at the call of God. Taking the Son of God in his arms, he uttered the words that became known as the prayer of Simeon the God-Receiver and are heard at every evening service: “Now you release your servant, Master, according to your word in peace...” After this, blessing the Holy Family - Mary the Mother of God and Saint Joseph, the elder turned to Mary with words that became “Simeon’s prophecy.” In it, he predicted discord between the followers of Christ and the Pharisees, the suffering of the Lord himself on the Cross, and the fact that the soul of the Most Pure One would also be pierced by pain and suffering for her son and the entire human race in its entirety. The completeness of Her sorrows is symbolically indicated by the number seven (a sign of the completeness of something) - the number of arrows (or swords) depicted on the icon.

The plot of this icon, which comes from “Simeon’s Prophecy,” is often associated with another icon, the “Seven Arrows.” The difference with “Softening Evil Hearts” lies in the composition of the icon: on the “Softening...” icon, three arrows are written on the right and left and one on the bottom, and on the “Semistrelnaya” icon there are three on the right side and four on the left.

The “Seven Shot” icon came from the Russian North, from the Vologda region. Its first location is the St. John the Theological Church on the banks of the Toshni River, which flows not far from Vologda, a tributary of the river whose name the city bears. According to legend, this icon is more than half a century old, but, in all likelihood, this is a later copy of the original one, since it was painted on canvas glued to a board, which is typical of icon painting techniques that arose around the 18th century, and the original image has been lost.

The legend about the acquisition of the original image is as follows. A certain peasant who lived in the Kadnikovsky district of the Vologda region suffered from incurable lameness for many years. One day he dozed off and through his slumber heard a voice that told him to find the image of the Mother of God in the bell tower of that same St. John the Theological Church. Three times the peasant asked to allow him to climb the bell tower and pray in front of that image, since dilapidated icons were kept there, but they did not believe him and only the third time they allowed him to climb. And then, stumbling, he looked at his feet and saw the image of the Mother of God on a staggered step that was then accidentally turned over! It turned out that once upon a time, in a blasphemous manner, one of the steps of the staircase was made from the board on which the icon was painted. From year to year, priests and bell ringers climbed along it, stepping on the image of the Most Pure One, which was turned face down when embedded in the staircase.

The icon was dirty and covered with debris. The church servants were horrified by such sacrilege, took the icon out of the stairs, cleaned it and placed it in the church with prayers. The peasant also prayed heartily before her and received healing of his illness.

If we continue the conversation about the modern discovery of one of the copies of the icon “Softening Evil Hearts,” then we know an event that occurred during the Great Patriotic War in the south of Voronezh, in Belogorye, which is so named for the white limestone rocks on the right bank of the Don, where, as is known, the allied Italian troops of the fascist coalition fought. In December 1942, soldiers from a platoon of one of the mountain rifle units found the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” in a bombed house, which was given to Chaplain 1 named Policarpo from Valdagna.

As the residents of these places said, the icon previously belonged to the cave Resurrection Belogorsk Monastery near Pavlovsk, not far from Voronezh. The Italians called it "Madonna del Don" - "Madonna of the Don", but this icon has nothing in common with the image known as Our Lady of the Don. In January 1943, Italian troops were defeated. Father Policarpo took this icon with him when he retreated to his homeland, where a chapel was built for it in Mestre - on the mainland of Venice. Relatives and loved ones of Italian soldiers killed in Russia during the Great Patriotic War have been coming here for many years.

An icon of the same type is known in the southwest of Kaluga province; it was located in the city of Zhizdra. According to the cathedral inventory, its name contains the words from “Simeon’s prophecy”: “And a weapon will pierce your very soul,” and its celebration is also celebrated on August 13/26. Here is another spelling option: unlike the “Softening Evil Hearts” and “Seven Arrow” icons, on this icon the Mother of God supports the Child lying at Her feet with one hand, and with the other she covers her chest from the seven swords aimed at Her.

What a miracle happened

Since miraculous acquisition icon, its version “Seven Shot” in the Vologda region, many years have passed, this event began to be forgotten. However, in 1830, a cholera epidemic began in the Vologda province, which wiped out a huge number of residents. The shrine was then moved to Vologda to the summer church of Dmitry Prilutsky on Navolok. Orthodox Vologda residents carried the icon in a religious procession around the city, and the epidemic stopped as suddenly as it began.

In memory of the miraculous end to the terrible epidemic, the residents of Vologda ordered a new copy of the miraculous icon, which was placed in the Demetrius Church, and miracles of healing also began to occur from it.

A century later, in 1930, for obvious reasons, services in the church ceased. When they resumed in 2001, the miraculous icon was no longer there. Perhaps the time will come when this icon will again appear to the world, which should remember that our intolerance, our eternal search for reasons for petty and major discord is nothing more than a quarrel between brothers and sisters in front of the bright face of the common Mother, who eternally prays for us to Her Son. ...

Miracles of the Icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” in Our Time

Currently, there is a myrrh-streaming icon of the Mother of God “Seven Shots” in the Church of the Archangel Michael at the clinics on Devichye Pole (Moscow, metro stations “Sportivnaya”, “Frunzenskaya”).

In June 2008, the image of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” was brought for some time from Moscow to Ryazan. The face of the Most Pure One, witnesses said, was covered with fragrant streams of the world. Earlier, in 2004, the miraculous icon was brought to the Tolga monastery, and there, during the service of prayers, it exuded fragrant myrrh, the fragrance of which also spread throughout the entire temple.

During the icon's stay in the Tolga convent, miraculous phenomena also occurred. For example: a certain parishioner with tears of joy in her eyes told about the miraculous conversion of her beloved daughter to God. “My daughter,” she said, “attended the New Generation sect for several years.” She got angry when I told her about the Tolga monastery and the miraculous icon. Still, I persuaded her to visit Tolgsky convent. When she first visited the monastery, she remained indifferent, and did not pay attention to the icons and shrines at all. By the grace of the Queen of Heaven, I managed to persuade her to go to the Tolga Monastery, when the icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” was there. The miraculous myrrh-streaming image had an amazing effect on my daughter. She seemed to slowly come to her senses and suddenly said: “Mom, but I’m not baptized.” After which she was baptized and began going to the Orthodox Church. I am very grateful to the Mother of God for this great miracle, as She returned to me the love and understanding of my daughter. I would like to donate the most precious thing I have, my wedding ring, to decorate this wondrous, miraculous icon. gold ring" With these words she finished her story and gave the guardians of the icon her jewel, which now adorns the image “Softening Evil Hearts”” 2.

“An amazing story happened to me with the icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts,” says the author of the project “Icons of the 21st Century” Kristina Kondratyeva. – Yuri Kuznetsov wrote it for one woman at the request of her daughter. The icon was ordered for a certain date, but was painted earlier. Icons have their own deadlines... By chance, the icon was very quickly transferred to me in Moscow. Since my schedule is quite busy, I didn’t have time for two days or forgot to look at it. And then on the third day I remembered. And the mood at that moment was worse than ever. It happens... I open the package, see the icon and... Tears flow! And with them came the thorn that had been aching in my heart. And my soul became so light and light that at that very moment I decided that I really needed this icon. The image is written as if the Mother of God is saying: “Why are you doing this? It’s not necessary.” And he doesn’t seem to ask for anything, doesn’t reproach, but the heart itself seems to soften. And most importantly - anger, anger, resentment - everything passes. All that remains is... but in fact there is nothing left, only peace. This image says it all. Look at him, and you will feel everything, and words will be superfluous. This is truly “softening of evil hearts”..."

Meaning of the icon

No matter which of the icons that go back in terms of events to “Simeon’s prophecy” we would talk about, the great significance of this icon lies in the fact that it is the call of the Mother of God herself to mercy. Having experienced a great measure of maternal suffering on her earthly path, the Most Pure One suffers even today. She took the human race into adoption, but this race cannot be reconciled within itself. Moreover, he seeks and finds more and more new reasons for wars, discord, unfriendliness, intolerance, forms of confrontation, sometimes completely ridiculous. This touching and tragic image of the suffering Mother of all was sent to people in the hope that they, having seen with their own eyes how She suffers, having given up Her innocent Son for Crucifixion, who went to execution for the sake of atonement for the sins of mankind, will stop and think.

What is actually happening? Humanity received atonement for sins through His Crucifixion, but did not cease to cherish its vices. And every offense, every action that is provoked by an evil feeling, an unkind thought, turns those very arrows, or in other images - swords, in the chest of our very first Intercessor before God, causing pain to a loving heart Mothers. And She, as we remember, is still ready to pray to the Son for each of us who resorts to Her holy intercession. And if you think about it deeper, longer, before Her icon “Softening Evil Hearts”, then you can believe that these thoughts will be reborn into feelings that can soften the hardest souls.

_______________________________
1 Chaplain - a Catholic priest accompanying troops on military campaigns
2 Example taken from the website of the newspaper “Royal Gates”, No. 4, 2005; http://bogolub.narod.ru

Difficult periods often arise in a person’s life, and there is simply not enough strength to cope with all the adversities and problems. In such situations, many turn to Higher powers for help. The prayer of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” has enormous power. She helps people cope with both physical and mental problems. It is customary to pronounce it in front of an icon that has the same name.

The icon depicts the Mother of God holding seven swords in her hands, symbolizing the most important and deadly human sins. The swords are arranged like this: three on the right and left sides, and one pointing down. There is also a very similar icon called “Seven Arrows”. It also depicts the Virgin Mary with swords, but she has them arranged differently: on one side there are three, and on the other four. The “Softening of Hearts” icon is a reflection of the intense suffering that the Mother of God experiences for her Son throughout her life. Therefore, seven swords were chosen, since this number symbolizes the completeness of something, in in this case suffering.

Prayer “Softening Evil Hearts”

Prayers in front of this image help you admit your mistakes and atone for them.

What else does the prayer to the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” help with:

The main purpose of this image is to rid a person of bad thoughts and committing various atrocities.
It allows you to protect yourself and protect your home from the arrival of people with bad intentions. That is why it is recommended to have the “Softening Evil Hearts” icon in your home.
The prayer to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” is also read when conflicts and misunderstandings arise in relationships with loved ones. Many people know that the Mother of God is the main protector of the family hearth. Prayerful appeals to her help restore harmony, love and warmth to the family. It is worth noting that they help both in relationships between spouses and in tandem between parents and children.

In the Orthodox prayer book you can also find the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts,” which has enormous power. It can be read not only to praise the Mother of God, but also in difficult situations when help and support are needed.

Prayer is not a simple set of words, and in order for it to reach the Higher Powers, it is necessary to take into account some rules of pronunciation. First of all, this concerns sincerity, since the words spoken must come from the heart. Equally important is unshakable faith in God and his powers.

It is best to say the words in front of the icon, kneeling or sitting at the table. The necessary image can be found in any church store. It is also recommended to light candles in front of the icon.
It is important that when communicating with By higher powers nothing distracted, and this applies not only to external stimuli, but also to one’s own thoughts. The focus should be solely on prayer.
It is best if there is a cross on the body while saying the prayer, and women are also recommended to wear a scarf on their heads.
You need to start by saying the Lord’s Prayer three times, don’t forget after each time.
It is best to read prayers in the morning and it is worth doing it every day.

Remember that you should not expect help with requests that are associated with any benefit or self-interest. You should not ask and punish enemies or other people. Such requests always remain unanswered. It is important that a person repents of his sins and cleanses himself of all the burden on his soul.

Icon of the Mother of God
"SOFTENING EVIL HEARTS"

Icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts”

The Icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” is also called “Simeon’s Prophecy.” It symbolically depicts the prophecy of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver, pronounced by him in the Jerusalem temple on the day of the Presentation of the Lord: “ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His Mother: Behold, this One is destined for the fall and the uprising 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.”

“Softening Evil Hearts” is written with swords stuck into Her heart - three on the right and left, one on the bottom. The number "seven" in Holy Scripture 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 choice of the image of a sword in the icon is not accidental, since in human understanding it is associated with the shedding of blood.

There is another interpretation of the image of seven swords piercing the chest Holy Mother of God. The seven arrows on the icon represent the fullness of the sorrow of the Mother of God. But She suffers now not because she sees the torment of her Son crucified on the cross; the soul of the Most Pure One is pierced by the sharp arrows of our sins.These are the seven main sinful passions of man. Every offense, every action that is provoked by an evil feeling, an unkind thought, turns those very arrows, or in other images - swords, in the chest of our very first Intercessor before God, causing pain to the loving heart of the Mother. And She, as we remember, is still ready to pray to the Son for each of us who resorts to Her holy intercession.

The image “Softening Evil Hearts” apparently comes from Southwestern Rus', but, unfortunately, there is no historical information about it; it is not even known where and when the image appeared.

This image is celebrated on All Saints Sunday (1st Sunday after Trinity).

Icon of the Mother of God “Seven Arrows”

Another miraculous image is very close to “Softening Evil Hearts” - Icon of the Mother of God “Seven Arrows”. The only difference between them is that on the “Seven Shot” the swords are written differently - three on the right side of the Most Pure One and four on the left, and celebrations are performed for her August 13, old style.

According to legend, “Seven Strelnaya” is more than 500 years old, however, the features of the painting and the fact that it was painted on canvas pasted onto a board indicate a later origin - apparently, this list was made in the 18th century from an original that has not reached us.

Miraculous icon Mother of God "Semistrelnaya" of Northern Russian origin. Before the revolution, she stayed in the St. John the Theological Church on the banks of the Toshni River, not far from Vologda. The legend about this icon is similar to many similar stories about miraculous images of the Mother of God revealed in visions.

A certain peasant of Kadnikovsky district suffered from lameness for many years and already despaired of the possibility of healing. One day, in a subtle dream, a Divine voice commanded him to find the image of the Most Holy Theotokos in the bell tower of the Theological Church, where the old icons were kept, and to pray with faith before it for the healing of his illness. Arriving at the temple, the peasant was not immediately able to fulfill what was indicated to him in the vision. Only after the peasant’s third request did the clergy, who did not believe his words, allow him to climb the bell tower. It turned out that the icon, covered with rubbish and dirt, seemed simple board served as a step in the staircase along which the bell ringers climbed. Horrified by this involuntary blasphemy, the clergy washed the image and served a prayer service in front of it, after which the peasant received complete healing.

In 1830, when most European Russia, including the Vologda province, suffered a terrible cholera epidemic, the residents of Vologda surrounded the “Seven Arrow” icon with a solemn religious procession around the city. After which the cholera retreated as suddenly as it had come.

After 1917, the miraculous image disappeared from the Church of St. John the Theologian, and in 1930 services stopped there. In July 2001, the parish of the Church of St. John the Evangelist regained life, but the shrine has not yet returned to the temple.

In front of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Seven Arrows”, or “Softening of Evil Hearts”, they pray in case of enmity or persecution, for the pacification of those at war, and also in the embitterment of the heart - for the gift of patience.

Icon of the Mother of God “Zhizdrinskaya Passionate”

There is also another image of the Mother of God, which has its own special story, which directly bears the title “And a weapon will pass through your very soul” (aka “Zhizdrinskaya Passionate”). In this icon, the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted in a position of prayer; 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.

The miraculous "Sofrin" icon

Among miraculous lists icons “Softening Evil Hearts” at present special veneration uses the myrrh-streaming icon, revealed in Russia at the end of the twentieth century. This icon, produced by printing at the Russian enterprise Orthodox Church"Sofrino" was purchased in an ordinary church shop.

On May 3, 1998, its owner Margarita Vorobyova noticed that myrrh was flowing down the surface of the icon. The story of myrrh-streaming and bleeding is simply amazing. In 1999, before the bombings of houses in Moscow, the face of the Virgin Mary changed on the Icon, dark circles appeared under the eyes, and the apartment began to smell of incense. On August 12, 2000, the day of the sinking of the Kursk submarine, tiny bleeding wounds appeared on the Icon of the Mother of God. Since then, the image has been myrrh-streaming and bleeding constantly. It flows myrrh so abundantly that people collect it in liters. And it bleeds on the eve of tragic events, while the examination showed that the blood is human, of the first group...

It is the LIVING Mother of God who greets people who come to bow to Her in different ways, healing some, helping others, others cannot even approach the Seven-Shot Icon... for example, in the courtyard of Optina Hermitage, in Yasenevo, where the icon often appears on Sundays, one woman is noticed, she always asks men to let her venerate the Icon by force. All those possessed break out with superhuman strength, and they themselves cannot approach the shrine. But each time the resistance weakens.

Moreover, the Mother of God chooses her own path... repeatedly they simply could not take Her to her destination, as they say “they got lost in three pines” and forgot the way to where they had been many times before... “the Icon does not go”...

Hundreds of believers come to pray before this image, asking to soften the hearts of enemies, to ease the suffering of relatives and friends, and receive consolation. It is impossible to remember all the amazing testimonies and miracles performed by the Icon of the Mother of God and not to list the names of all the sick who were healed and those who asked who received peace.

To store it in the village of Bachurino near Moscow was built chapel(Address: Moscow region, Leninsky district, village of Bachurino. Directions: 3 km from the Moscow Ring Road along the Kaluga highway until the turn to the agricultural Kommunarka (after the Mostransgaz building)). For more than 15 years, the keeper of the icon has been Margarita’s husband, Sergei.

Temple-chapel in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God (Softener of Evil Hearts), village of Bachurino

The myrrh-streaming icon visited many dioceses in Russia, and also visited abroad several times - in Belarus, Ukraine and Germany. Many people who worshiped this image of the Queen of Heaven with love and reverence testified to cases of healing and the feeling of special spiritual joy that they felt from touching the shrine. On January 27-29, 2009, the myrrh-streaming icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Softening Evil Hearts” was in the Cathedral Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. In the presence of this shrine, as well as the miraculous Theodore Icon of the Mother of God, the election and enthronement of the new Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', took place. As eyewitnesses testify, after the election of the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, the icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts,” located on the analogue in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, flowed abundantly with myrrh.

Now the world-famous icon, almost without interruption, is on pilgrimages around the world from the USA to Australia, from Mount Athos to Far East. And wherever this icon appears, extraordinary events and miracles occur: the icon generously pours out its healing myrrh, other icons begin to flow myrrh, people are healed of incurable diseases, and an endless miracle of softening evil hearts occurs.

In the Murmansk church, the baby, whom his mother placed next to the icon, suddenly said loudly and clearly: "She's crying!" And everything fell into place. Truly, “through the mouth of a baby the truth speaks,” for it became clear what we are witnessing, why this miracle was given to us, what exactly the image of the Queen of Heaven pours out to us in the form of this crystal clear and fragrant world. These are the tears of the Mother of God. She cries for us. About the hardness of our hearts. About the world retreating from Her Son - Christ our God.

Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

for the Temple Life-Giving Trinity on Vorobyovy Gory

Prayer
O Many-sorrowful Mother of God, who surpassed all the daughters of the earth in Her purity and in the multitude of sufferings You brought to the earth! Accept our much-painful sighing and keep us under the shelter of Your mercy, for refuge and warm intercession are not known to You, but, as we have boldness towards the One who was born of You, help and save us with Your prayers, so that we may unfalteringly reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing praises in the Trinity to the One God, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Troparion, tone 5
Soften our evil hearts, Mother of God, / and extinguish the misfortunes of those who hate us, / and resolve every tightness of our soul, / looking at Your holy image, / We are touched by Your compassion and mercy for us, / and we kiss Your wounds, / Our arrows, You tormenting, we are horrified. / Do not let us, Mother of the Compassionate, / perish in our hardness of heart and from the hardness of our neighbors, // For you are truly the softener of evil hearts.

Kontakion, tone 2
By Thy grace, O Lady, / soften the hearts of evildoers, / send down benefactors, keeping them from all evil, / to those who earnestly pray to Thee // before Thy honorable icons.

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On August 26 and on the Sunday of All Saints, Orthodox Christians venerate the miraculous icon of God Mothers.

The celebration of the icons “Simeon’s Prophecy” and “Seven Arrows” takes place on August 13/26, as well as on February 2/15 (on the day of the Presentation of the Lord) and on All Saints Sunday - the ninth Sunday after Easter, the first after the Holy Trinity.

Mother "Softening Evil Hearts." Another name for this image is Seven-shot. It depicted the Virgin Mary pierced by seven arrows. This is where the name comes from.

This icon is kept in the Church of St. John the Theologian-Semistrelnaya, which is not far from Vologda. But before that for a long time The icon was located at the turn of the stairs of the bell tower of the Church of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian, also not far from the city of Vologda. Then it lay down in a holy way, so it served as a simple board on which bell ringers walked. And she would have lain like that for a long time, but, according to legend, a certain resident of the city of Kadnikov fell ill. He was treated for a long time, but not a single doctor could heal him. He turned with prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos. On the very first night he had a vision, in which a heavenly voice commanded the peasant to find this icon of the Mother of God on the bell tower and turn to her with prayers. They found the holy face, cleaned it, and served a prayer service in front of it, as expected. Soon this man recovered completely.
This was the very first healing that the icon brought. But this image became most famous in 1830. A cholera epidemic was growing in the city of Vologda. This misfortune forced the residents of the city to turn with prayers to the icon of the Seven Shot Mother of God. The miraculous image of “Softening Evil Hearts” was surrounded by a religious procession around the city. As the legend says, it was after this that the scale of the epidemic began to decrease, and soon cholera completely left Vologda.

Icons of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts.” “Semistrelnaya” and “Simeon’s Prophecy”.

This icon is also called “Simeon’s prophecy.” The Virgin Mary is depicted with seven swords piercing her heart. On the “Seven Arrow” icon they are located like this: four on the left and three on the right, and on the “Simeon’s Prophecy” the seventh sword is drawn from below. Currently, in the Russian Orthodox Church it is customary to consider these icons to be varieties of the same iconographic type and, accordingly, to unite the days of their celebration.

The number “seven” in the Holy Scriptures usually means completeness, redundancy of something, and in this case - the completeness and vastness of the grief that she experienced Mother of God during her earthly life, when she happened to see torment Jesus on the cross. Sometimes the infant Christ is also written on the lap of the Most Pure Virgin.

The image also has another, allegorical meaning: swords wounding the Blessed Virgin are the seven deadly sins. It is about these sins, about the softening of hearts that are hardened in them, that one should pray before the Face of the Mother of God pierced by swords (arrows).

Why is the icon called “Simeon’s Prophecy”?

As the Gospel of Luke says, righteous elder Simeon the God-Receiver it was predicted that he would see the Savior. When virgin mary And Joseph They brought the baby Jesus to the temple 40 days after his birth, and Simeon met them there. The elder took the child in his arms (hence his nickname - the God-Receiver) and uttered the famous words with which every Vespers service has ended since then: “Now dost thou dismiss thy servant, O Master, according to thy word, in peace...”

Afterwards, Simeon turned to Mary with a 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.”

Thus, the elder predicted to the Mother of God that she would be destined to experience a lot of grief and sadness at the sight of the suffering of her son.

This interpretation of Simeon’s prophecy became the subject of the “symbolic” icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts.”

Where did the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” come from?

There is no exact historical information about where the icon “Simeon’s Prophecy” came from. It is believed that the image came from southwestern Rus' more than 500 years ago.

The veneration of this image in Catholicism is known.

According to legend, a peasant from Vologda suffered from incurable lameness for many years. Once in a dream, he heard a voice that told him to find the image of the Mother of God in the bell tower of the Church of St. John the Theologian. While climbing the bell tower, he stumbled and saw the image of the Virgin Mary on an inverted step under his feet.

It turned out that once upon a time, in a blasphemous manner, one of the steps of the staircase was made from the board on which the icon was painted. From year to year, priests and bell ringers climbed along it, stepping on the image of the Most Pure One, facing down.

The church servants cleaned the icon of dirt and placed it in the church with prayers. The peasant also prayed heartily before her and received healing of his illness.

The icon became especially famous in 1830 during the cholera that raged in Vologda. This disaster struck fear into the inhabitants and prompted them to seek help from the Blessed Virgin Mary. The miraculous icon “Softening Evil Hearts” was carried around the city with a religious procession, after which the diseases began to noticeably subside, and soon the epidemic stopped.

Icon of the Mother of God “Zhizdrinskaya Passionate”

There is also another image of the Mother of God, which has its own special history, which directly bears the name “And a weapon will pierce your very soul” (aka “Zhizdrinskaya Passionate”). In this icon, the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted in a position of prayer; 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.

The miraculous “Sofrin” icon.

Among the miraculous lists of the “Softening Evil Hearts” icon, the myrrh-streaming icon, revealed in Russia at the end of the 20th century, currently enjoys special veneration. This icon, produced by printing at the Sofrino enterprise of the Russian Orthodox Church, was purchased in an ordinary church shop.

Temple-chapel in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God (Softener of Evil Hearts), village of Bachurino

Now the world-famous icon is on pilgrimages all over the world almost without interruption, from the USA to Australia, from Mount Athos to the Far East. And wherever this icon appears, extraordinary events and miracles occur: the icon generously pours out its healing myrrh, other icons begin to flow myrrh, people are healed of incurable diseases, and an endless miracle of softening evil hearts occurs.

In the Murmansk church, the baby, whom his mother placed next to the icon, suddenly said loudly and clearly:"She's crying!"And everything fell into place. Truly, “through the mouth of a baby the truth speaks,” for it became clear what we are witnessing, why this miracle was given to us, what exactly the image of the Queen of Heaven pours out to us in the form of this crystal clear and fragrant world. These are the tears of the Mother of God. She cries for us. About the hardness of our hearts. About the world retreating from Her Son - Christ our God.

How does an icon protect?

It is believed that prayer in front of the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” helps improve dysfunctional relationships in the family, between relatives, loved ones, between spouses, as well as parents and children.

The icon protects from other people's intolerance and from our own anger and irritation. Also, in front of this image of the Mother of God, you can ask for protection if any enmity breaks out - in the family or in society. People resort to the icon during war with a request to the Mother of God to protect from attack.

Currently, on the day when the feast of the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” is celebrated, believers send their prayers to it, because it is believed that it is she who will protect from the evil spirit, from illnesses and everything that we consider inappropriate for this world. And on August 26, the priests in each church tell those who come a legend - the history of the origin of this holiday. And anyone who harbors evil and hostility in their soul must come to the temple and turn to the Seven Arrow Icon for repentance.

If you sincerely and with faith ask for your enemies in front of this icon, then the hearts of even the most irreconcilable enemies soften, they become more generous and enmity leaves their mind and heart.

If an evil feeling awakens in your soul, then resort to prayer to this truly wonderful icon - and you will feel spiritual relief. Suffering will leave you, and bright and kind grace will enter your heart.

Conspiracies from irreconcilable enemies are read before her. During the war, they read so that the weapons of the enemy bypass the defenders of the Fatherland and relatives-warriors. At least seven candles are placed in front of the icon. In general, this icon can show seven miracles, but only to those masters who know the keys of Solomon. And if the master knows the main, or, as they say, the royal key of Solomon, then from this icon you can find out the future for seven years.

This icon is not only loved and revered by everyone, but also, not without reason, is considered miraculous.

Before the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” and “Seven Arrows” prayers are read:

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 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, because 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.

Kontakion, tone 2

By Thy grace, O Lady, / soften the hearts of evildoers, / send down benefactors, keeping them from all evil, / to those who earnestly pray to Thee // before Thy honorable icons.

In an irreconcilable situation and hostility.

The first time, in God's hour. Fly, O wind, to Jerusalem, return home from the holy land. With your spirit, with your strength, extinguish the anger of heretics, angry craftswomen, old and young. Mother “Seven Arrows”, shoot with your seven arrows every evil, every quarrel, put an end to the ardent dispute, apparitions, capes, clamps, nets, keels, living graves, fakes, heart disease, headaches, liver colic. So that they don’t torment each other: With insomnia, sleeplessness, a cross, a whip, a grave nail. Reconcile the slaves (names) from this day, from this hour, from your order. Cool them with holy Jordanian water. In the name of God Christ, come out, O offense, from the servants of God (names). Calm down, calm down, Mother “Seven Shot”. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Amulet from evil people in the bathhouse.

Go to the bathhouse and there, using the water, wash yourself (or wash with someone else).

They say bath water like this:

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Mother, Seven-shot Mother of God, I pray to You to take Your seven holy arrows. Fight back, shoot all evil from me, send it back to where it came from. And whoever begins to harass the servant of God (name), let your seven arrows stick to him. He will tie you up, press you down, and the enemy will destroy himself. Be, my words, strong; be, my deeds, sculpts: For now, for eternity, for infinity. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

“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...

In prayer practice, no distinction is made between the “Softening Evil Hearts” and “Seven Arrow” icons, since they belong to the same iconographic type. Believers ask before the image for reconciliation between the warring parties and deliverance from hardness of heart.
Differences exist in the painting of the image and the acquisition of icons.

The image “Softening Evil Hearts” apparently comes from Southwestern Rus', but, unfortunately, there has never been any historical information about it; 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 February 15 and on All Saints Sunday (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 “Seven Shot” the swords are written differently - three on the right side of the Most Pure One and four on the left, and her celebration takes place on August 13 according to the old style (August 26).

“Semistrelnaya” is of North Russian origin: it resided in the St. John the Theologian Church on the banks of the Toshni River, which flows into the river of the same name not far from Vologda. 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 painted on canvas pasted onto a board indicate its much later origin - apparently, this copy was made in the 18th 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.
Here's a very interesting story. During the Great Patriotic War, in the south of the Voronezh region, in an area known as Belogorye (from the chalk rocks on the right bank of the Don near the city of Pavlovsk), Italian mountain rifle units 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 Voskresensky Belogorsk cave 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). In the Alpine Corps, everyone soon learned about this holy find and began to come to the icon to pray for their salvation. Many later were firmly convinced that they survived those terrible battles only thanks to the help of the Mother of God - Madonna del 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. Many veterans of the Alpine Corps recalled the amazing mercy that Russian women who lived in villages on their way to Italy showed them. Most of the Italians were frostbitten and had no food. And if it weren’t for the kindness and help of the Russian population, they would all have died. Veterans still remember Russian word“potatoes”, because this was the only food in Russian villages of that time.
Chaplain Policarpo brought the “Madonna of the Don” to Italy, in Mestre (mainland Venice), where a chapel was built especially for her. Veterans, relatives and friends of both the participants in those events and all the Italian soldiers who died in that terrible war still gather at this icon in September.
I want to talk a little about such a miracle as myrrh streaming. Until the 20th century, the streaming of myrrh or tearing of icons was a rare, exceptional phenomenon. Mass signs began to be observed in Russia in the 20th century. The number of reports of miracles from icons in Russia at the end of the 20th century - beginning of XXI century broke all records. The reasons for this phenomenon are not known for certain. In past centuries, the facts of myrrh-streaming were considered an omen of some important events. When a person sees such a miracle, he strengthens his faith, which means he begins to change for the better and do more good.
Here is a story that happened in our time. In the fall of 1997, simultaneously with the martyrdom of Joseph Muñoz Cortes (he was brutally killed), the custodian of the miraculous, myrrh-streaming Iveron-Montreal icon, the icon itself disappeared. Where she is is still not known. The new myrrh-streaming icon was revealed just a few months later, in the spring of 1998, to the Muscovite Margarita. And the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” was pacified. The small image, like many tens of thousands like it, was printed at the Sofrino enterprise and bought in a church shop by ordinary Muscovites. But according to God’s destinies unknown to us, it was this image that was chosen to show a wondrous miracle - the icon came to life. This icon began to be transported to numerous parishes and monasteries, in various cities and countries.

In the Murmansk church, the baby, whom his mother placed next to the icon, suddenly said loudly and clearly: “She is crying!” And everything fell into place. Truly, “through the mouth of a baby the truth speaks,” for it became clear what we are witnessing, why this miracle was given to us, what exactly the image of the Queen of Heaven pours out to us in the form of this crystal clear and fragrant world.
These are the tears of the Mother of God. She cries for us. About the hardness of our hearts.

About the world retreating from Her Son - Christ our God.
The miraculous image reacts differently to the place where it resides, and not every land is equally pleasing to the Queen of Heaven. Before the explosions in Moscow, the face of the Mother of God on the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” changed. Black circles appeared under the eyes. The apartment began to smell of incense. This smell did not disappear until the explosions stopped. Time has passed. The day came on which the arms and neck of the Most Pure Mother of God were ulcerated with tiny wounds, and a red sore appeared on her left shoulder. On this day, the Kursk submarine sank. On November 21, the day of the Archangel Michael, bloody smudges appeared that could be collected for cotton wool along with the world. Since then, the icon has been streaming myrrh and bleeding incessantly.
Since then, if the Russian military touches the icon, the icon sensitively responds to this meeting and bleeds blood... I remember how, after a religious procession with the icon, the marines of the Sevastopol brigade, carrying the icon, looked in surprise at their white ceremonial gloves, which had turned completely red from the expired bloody world. To store this shrine, a precious ark was made, and a church was built in the village of Bachurino near Moscow. Today the arrival of this icon is awaited all over the world. She has already visited many dioceses of Russia and has been abroad many times - to Belarus, the Czech Republic, the USA, Australia, Ukraine, Mount Athos, Germany...

On December 8, 2011, the myrrh-streaming icon arrived on Italian soil. When the myrrh-streaming icon visited Italy, a meeting of two icons took place. The icon “Don Madonna” from the Russian Belogorsk Monastery is now decorated with a rich silver frame, on which rosettes with scenes of those events of 1943 are minted. On both sides of the icon there are glass bowls in which the water of the Don and the soil from the Don are stored. And numerous unquenchable lamps burn.
At parting, all those gathered were anointed with the expiring chrism. Before this, the Catholic Dominican monks, who had been standing somewhat at a distance and watching what was happening from the side, could not stand it and also came under the anointing.

Here is a short story about what happened from Abbot Mitrofan, who accompanied the icon through the lands of Italy: “Every time, approaching a new city, a new church, where crowds of people were tensely waiting for the icon, we witnessed the icon’s response to people’s aspirations. As soon as we got out of the car and began to move towards people, myrrh appeared on the entire surface of the icon case.
It must be said that the icon case itself is never opened during trips - this is the condition of the keeper of the icon, dictated by concern for the safety of the image. Let me remind you that a miraculous icon is only a paper image, extremely saturated with the world. And the cavity in the frame under the icon, into which the myrrh flows, is emptied only in calm, homely conditions. It is then that numerous bottles are filled with the purest fragrant liquid in anticipation of new temples and meetings.
But these restrictions, as we wrote earlier, do not matter for an amazing substance of unearthly origin. As we have seen, the laws of gravity, for example, have no power here - myrrh flows just as easily up the icon case. It easily increases in quantity, and just as unexpectedly it can disappear from the bottle. But the reasons for this “non-blessing” will certainly soon become obvious. At the same time, a small glass vial of ointment (the size of a “perfume sampler”) is easily enough to anoint many hundreds of those who wish, and there is still enough for all those who are late.”

Finally, I want to say that sometimes there is such an image, which depicts the image of “Softening Evil Hearts,” but on the icon itself it is written “Seven Shots.” Don't let this confuse you.

Prayer before the icon performed by the sisters of the Minsk St. Elisabeth Monastery.