The celebration of the icons "Simeon's prophecy" and "Seven-strelnaya" takes place August 13/26, as well as February 2/15(on the day of the Meeting of the Lord) and on All Saints' Week- on the ninth Sunday after Easter, the first after the Holy Trinity.

Mothers "Softener of Evil Hearts". Another name for this image is Seven-shot. It depicted the Mother of God, pierced by seven arrows. From this and such a name.

This icon is kept in the Church of St. John the Theologian-Semistrelnaya, not far from Vologda. But before that, for a long time, the icon was 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 she lay down in a holy way, therefore she served as a simple board on which the bell ringers walked. And for a long time she would have lain like that, but, according to legend, a certain resident of the city of Kadnikova 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 ordered 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 out, served before it, as it should be, a prayer service. The man soon recovered completely.

This was the very first healing that the icon brought. But most of all this image became famous in 1830. An epidemic of cholera was growing in the city of Vologda. This misfortune forced the inhabitants of the city to turn with prayers to the icon of the Seven-shot Mother of God. The miraculous skin "Softening Evil Hearts" was surrounded 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 "Softener of evil hearts". "Seven Arrows" and "Simeon's Prophecy".

This icon is also called "Simeon's Prophecy". The Mother of God is depicted with seven swords piercing her heart. On the "Seven Arrows" icon, they are arranged as follows: four on the left and three on the right, and on the "Simeon's Prophecy" the seventh sword is drawn from below. Currently in Russian Orthodox Church It is customary to consider these icons as varieties of the same iconographic type and, accordingly, to combine the days of their celebration.

The number "seven" in Holy Scripture usually means the fullness, redundancy of something, and in this case- the fullness and boundlessness of the grief that Mother of God during earthly life, when she happened to see the torment Jesus on the cross. Sometimes the baby Christ is also written on the lap of the Blessed Virgin.

The image also has another, allegorical meaning: the swords that injure the Blessed Virgin are the seven deadly sins. It is about these sins, about the softening of hearts 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 foretold that he would see the Savior. When the Virgin Mary and Joseph They brought the baby Jesus to the temple 40 days after his birth, where they were met by Simeon. 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, release Thy servant, Lord, according to Thy word, in peace ...”

After that, Simeon turned to Mary with a prophecy: “Behold, this lies for the fall and for the uprising of many in Israel and for the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pierce the soul of You, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.”

Thus, the elder predicted to the Mother of God that she would be destined to endure much grief and sorrow at the sight of the suffering of her son.

Such an interpretation of Simeon's prophecy became the subject of the "symbolic" icon of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts".

Where did the icon "Softener of 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 Russia more than 500 years ago.

The veneration of this image in Catholicism is known.

The icon "Seven Arrows" came from the Russian North, from the Vologda region. Its first location is the Church of St. John the Theologian on the banks of the Toshni River, which flows near Vologda. The icon is over 600 years old, but, in all likelihood, this is a later list from the original image, which has been lost.

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 on the bell tower of the Church of St. John the Theologian. Climbing the bell tower, he stumbled and saw under his feet on an inverted step the image of the Virgin.

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

The ministers of the church 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 raging in Vologda. This disaster instilled fear in the inhabitants and prompted them to seek help from Holy Mother of God. The miraculous icon "Softener of Evil Hearts" was surrounded around the city with a 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 Mother of God image, which has its own special history, which directly bears the name “And weapons will pass through your very soul” (aka “Zhizdrinskaya Passionate”). On this icon, the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted in a prayer position; With one hand She supports the Infant lying at Her feet, and with the other she covers Her breast from seven swords directed at her.

The miraculous "Sofrino" icon.

Among the miraculous lists of the icon "Softener of Evil Hearts", at present, the myrrh-streaming icon, revealed in Russia at the end of the 20th century, enjoys special reverence. This icon, produced by printing method at the enterprise of the Russian Orthodox Church "Sofrino", was purchased in an ordinary church shop.

On May 3, 1998, its owner Margarita Vorobieva noticed that myrrh was flowing over the surface of the icon. The history of myrrh flow and bleeding is simply amazing. In 1999, before the explosions of houses in Moscow, the face of the Mother of God changed on the Icon, dark circles appeared under the eyes, and the apartment began to smell of incense. On August 12, 2000, on 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 streaming myrrh and bleeding constantly. She streams myrrh so abundantly that the world is collected in liters. And it bleeds on the eve of tragic events, while the examination showed that human blood, of the first group ...

It is the LIVING Mother of God that meets people who come to Her to bow in different ways, healing someone, helping someone, others cannot even approach the Seven-shooter Icon ... for example, in the courtyard of Optina Pustyn, in Yasenevo, where the image is often On Sundays, one woman is seen, she always asks men to bring her to venerate the Icon by force. All those possessed break out with superhuman strength, and they themselves cannot approach the shrine. But with 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 strayed 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, alleviate the suffering of relatives and friends, and receive consolation. Not to recall all the amazing testimonies and miracles created by the Icon of the Mother of God and not to list the names of all the sick who were healed and those who received appeasement.

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 Kaluzhskoe highway before turning to the agricultural Kommunarka (after the Mostransgaz building)). For more than 15 years, Sergei, Margarita's husband, has been the keeper of the icon.

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

The myrrh-streaming icon has visited many dioceses of Russia, and has also repeatedly been abroad - 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 a 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 "Softener of Evil Hearts" stayed in the Cathedral Church 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 Feodorovskaya 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 Russia, took place. According to eyewitnesses, after the election of the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, the icon of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts", located on the lectern in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, abundantly streamed myrrh.

Now the world-famous icon is on pilgrimages all over the world from the USA to Australia, from Athos to Far East. And wherever this icon appears, extraordinary events and miracles occur: the icon generously pours out its wholesome myrrh, other icons begin to stream myrrh, people are healed of incurable diseases, and an endless miracle of softening evil hearts occurs.

In the Murmansk temple, the baby, whom the mother had attached to the icon, unexpectedly loudly and clearly said: "She's crying!" And everything fell into place. Truly, “the mouth of a baby speaks the truth,” 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 hardening of our hearts. About the world retreating from Her Son - Christ our God.

How the icon protects:

It is believed that prayer before the icon "Softening Evil Hearts" helps to 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, before this image of the Virgin, you can ask for protection in case any enmity breaks out - in the family or in society. The icon is resorted to during the war with a request to the Mother of God to protect from attack.

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

If in front of this icon sincerely and with faith to ask for your enemies, then the hearts of even the most implacable enemies soften, they become more generous and hostility 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 light and kind grace will enter your heart.

In front of her, conspiracies from irreconcilable enemies are read. During the war, they read that the weapons of the enemies bypassed the defenders of the Fatherland and relatives-soldiers. 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 not without reason is considered miraculous.

Before the icon "Softener of evil hearts" and "Seven-shot" prayers are read:

Troparion, tone 4

Soften our evil hearts, O Mother of God, and quench the misfortunes of those who hate us, and resolve all the narrowness of our soul, looking at Your holy image, we are touched by Your suffering and mercy and kiss Your wounds, but our arrows, You torment, are horrified. Do not give us, Mother of Mercy, to die in our hardness of heart and from the hardness of our neighbors, Thou art truly evil hearts Softening.

Prayer:

O many-sided Mother of God, Exceeding all the daughters of the earth, according to Your purity and the multitude of sufferings You have transferred to the earth, accept our many painful sighs and save us under the shelter of Your mercy. Otherwise, for refuge and warm intercession, don’t you know, but, as if you have boldness to the One who was born from you, help and save us with your prayers, so that we unstoppably reach the Kingdom of Heaven, even with all the saints we will sing in the Trinity to the One God, now and forever and till the end of time. Amen."

Kontakion, tone 2

By Thy Grace, Mistress, / soften the hearts of the villains, / send down the benefactors, who keep them from all evil, / to those who pray fervently to Thee / before Your honest icons.

In an irreconcilable situation and enmity.

First time, God's hour. Fly, wind, to Jerusalem, return home from the holy land. Extinguish with your spirit, with your strength, the anger of heretics, angry craftswomen, old and young women. Mother "Seven Arrows", shoot with your seven arrows any evil, any quarrel, put an end to the ardent dispute, vestments, capes, collars, nets, keels, living graves, fakes, heart diseases, headaches, liver coli. So that they don’t torment each other: 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 Jordanian holy water. In the name of God Christ, come out, resentment, from the servants of God (names). Calm down, pacify, Mother "Seven-shooter". In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and forever and forever and ever. Amen."

Amulet from evil people in the bath.

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

Bath water is spoken like this:

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Mother, Seven-shooter Mother of God I beg you to take your seven holy arrows. Repulse, shoot off 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. It will bind, press, and the enemy himself will exhaust himself. Be, my words, strong, be, my deeds, modeling: For now, for eternity, for infinity. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and forever and forever and ever. Amen."

On the day of the Meeting of the Lord (February 2/15) there is also the veneration of the icon of the Mother of God “Softener of evil hearts or Simeon's prophecy”, on which the prophecy of the elder Simeon is depicted with symbolic signs. Seven swords stuck in the heart of the Mother of God denote the fullness of the grief experienced by Her in earthly life.

In modern liturgical practice, it is customary to combine the celebration of different icons of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts" on one day (August 13/26).

The softening of evil hearts is an ongoing miracle

For twelve years there has been a continuous miracle in the world. This is a miracle of myrrh-streaming and bleeding of the icon of the Mother of God “Softener of Evil Hearts”. A small image, like many tens of thousands like it, was printed by printing at the Sofrino enterprise and bought in a church shop by ordinary Muscovites. But due to God's fate unknown to us, it was this image that was chosen to reveal a wondrous miracle - the icon came to life.

Myrrh-streaming icon “Softener of evil hearts”

When meeting with her, the feeling of communication with a “living being” does not leave. Everyone who had a chance to partake of this spiritual joy will never forget the obvious reality of the meeting with the Queen of Heaven Herself.

Involuntarily, a parallel arises with the well-known myrrh-streaming Iberian-Montreal icon, which disappeared without a trace in the fall of 1997, simultaneously with the martyrdom of its keeper. The service of that Icon and its keeper lasted exactly 15 years. But, as we see, the Queen of Heaven did not leave us orphaned for a long time. A new myrrh-streaming icon was revealed a few months later, in the spring of 1998, to Muscovite Margarita.

And now, for twelve years now, the icon's keeper Sergei (Margarita's husband) has been traveling with the new myrrh-streaming icon all over the world from the USA to Australia, from Athos to the Far East. And everywhere the icon generously pours out its wholesome myrrh, and an endless miracle of softening evil hearts takes place.

In the Murmansk Church, the baby, whom the mother put to the icon, unexpectedly loudly and clearly said: “She is crying!” And everything fell into place. Truly, “the mouth of a baby speaks the truth,” 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 hardening of our hearts. About the world retreating from Her Son - Christ our God.

The miraculous image reacts differently to its place of residence, and not every land is equally pleasing to the Queen of Heaven. The keeper of the icon can tell about all this, but let's not offend countries and continents ... Let's talk about something else: for the first time, trickles of blood flowed from the sores that appeared on the icon on August 12, 2000, the day when the whole country was horrified to learn about the tragedy in the Barents Sea , and plunged into grief about .

Since then, if the Russian military touches the icon, the icon sensitively responds to this meeting and exudes blood ... I remember how, after the religious procession with the icon, the marines of the Sevastopol brigade, who carried the icon, looked with surprise at their white ceremonial gloves, which turned absolutely red from the expired bloody world.

What does this sign say? What does the Mother of God warn about, what does she prepare for and before what does she strengthen the Russian army? ..

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MYRTOOL ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD "SOFTENING OF EVIL HEARTS"

On May 3, 1998, the owner of the icon, bought in an ordinary church shop, Margarita Vorobyeva, noticed that myrrh was flowing over the surface of the icon. These phenomena of myrrh-streaming and fragrance began to repeat from time to time.
On August 12, 2000, sores from tiny wounds appeared on the arms and neck of the Virgin, and a clear blood sore appeared on her left shoulder. Soon it was reported that the nuclear submarine Kursk had sunk. The days of universal sorrow came, and by November 21, 2000, the day of the Archangel Michael, trickles of blood flowed down the icon for the first time, which could be collected on a cotton wool along with the world. Since then, the myrrh-streaming and bleeding of the icon has not stopped and has been accompanied by fragrance.
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 expected all over the world. She has already visited many dioceses of Russia and has repeatedly been abroad - in Belarus, the Czech Republic, the USA, Australia, Ukraine, on Mount Athos, in Germany ... Many people who worshiped this image of the Queen of Heaven with love and reverence witnessed cases of healing, special spiritual joy from touching the shrine.
On January 27-29, 2009, the myrrh-streaming icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Softener of Evil Hearts" was in the 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 Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, the election of a new Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, took place.
The miraculous image of the myrrh-streaming and exuding drop of blood icon “Softener of Evil Hearts” really softens hardened, evil, indifferent and cold hearts. People seem to wake up from spiritual hibernation and rush to God in their hearts, glorifying our Queen of Heaven, the Most Holy Theotokos:
“Rejoice, much-sorrowful Mother of God, turning our sorrow into joy!”

Seven-shooter Mother of God - arrival

On December 8, 2011, the myrrh-streaming icon arrived on Italian soil, at the airport in Milan - Malpenso. To meet the shrine directly at the airport, the parishioners of the Orthodox Church of St. Ambrose of Milan in Milan arrived on several buses. The Italian Christian brothers perceived what was happening with exceptional disposition and lively participation.

The rector of the parish, Hieromonk Ambrose (Makar), and I, the author of these lines, hegumen Mitrofan, accompanied by carabinieri, were let through directly “to the gangway of the plane.” It was decided to open the wooden case-ark with the shrine, taken out of the plane by the keeper of the icon, Sergey, in order to solemnly bring the icon into the airport hall. However, when we opened the case, we were shocked – the kiot with the icon almost floated in the fragrant world.

Raising the icon case, Father Ambrose and I immediately found ourselves saturated with this world, abundantly flowing from the miraculous image. I looked at my palm - it was covered in blood. “There are no “former” officers,” the words of a movie hero from one of the recent films immediately came to mind. This means that my past 26 years of service in the Northern Fleet have not been written off from the Lord's accounts ...

In the meantime, something unforeseen began to happen at the icon - a kind of spiritual feast. The Italian carabinieri, seeing this miracle, rushed to apply to the image with both hands, almost "pouring" a fragrant liquid on themselves. Seeing what was happening, other employees of the airport services, customs officers, border guards, policemen came running, that is, everyone who was nearby at this exciting moment. It became clear that this Italian land is very pleasing to the Mother of God, these believing people with their unchanging and traditionally deep veneration of the Virgin Mary.

When we went out with the icon into a huge hall international airport, hundreds of our Orthodox people meeting the shrine, they sang the magnificence of the Blessed Virgin, and instantly found themselves in the grip of irresistible grace, literally covering everyone with waves of God's all-conquering love.

The tears were impossible to contain. Everyone sang and cried. And they stretched out their hands for the whole-bearing world, which was enough for everyone ... I again looked at my palms - now the world was crystal clear on them. So that short miracle concerned only me personally.

... We moved through the city, accompanied by carabinieri cars to the church of St.. Ambrose of Milan and wondered why there were such crowds of walking people in the city on a weekday. However, there are no accidents for the Lord, our icon arrived in Italy on one of the main Mother of God holidays in the Catholic world - December 8, the Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.

It was impossible to approach the main Orthodox church in northern Italy - thousands of people greeted the Queen of Heaven with tears in the form of Her "Softener of Evil Hearts".

A prayer service began, an akathist, incessant singing by the whole world and anointing, tears and anointing ... The Mother of God did mercy to the human race, softening the withered hearts of people with her fragrant tears.

Thus began our seven-day spiritual marathon through the northern cities of Italy.

Spiritual marathon

The schedule was like this. Every day late at night the icon returned to the Milan church, in order to leave early in the morning for the next cities of Italy, where they were waiting for it with undisguised jealousy, excitement and impatience. With an endless stream of more and more people arriving, coming, running to the icon from different parts of Italy. And with resentment, why so little, and with all sorts of tricks (rich treats, excursions to the shrines of the city, etc.) in order to delay the time of our departure and delay the moment of farewell to the precious image.

By nightfall, we again, barely alive, got to the St. Ambrose Church in Milan, where a crowd was already standing, hundreds of parishioners were waiting for us in order to start endless singing and praising the Queen of Heaven, just to stand next to this icon, touch it and absorb drops of grace peace. Here, in the temple, people prepared tea, brought food for everyone, but here on the floor, exhausted, they lay down to sleep a little, but did not leave the icon all night. But in the morning everyone had to go to work, and the work, frankly, is very hard.

Father Ambrose spent all those nights with the people in church, singing, praying, anointing with chrism, preaching, confessing, sometimes dozing on a little chair...

Probably, it was here that I first saw an echo of the life of those very early Christian communities, known to us from the Acts of the Apostles, when “The multitude of those who believed had one heart and one soul; and none of his possessions called his own, but they had everything in common.(Acts 4:32).

And in the morning there were new cities ahead, parishes, prayers ... Genoa, Turin, Padua, Parma, Piacenza, Brescia, Varese, Canetto, Lecca, Venice ...

Spiritual discoveries

During these days of the icon’s stay on Italian soil, the time for the conference “New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia during the times of persecution in the 20th century” “fell” (albeit an inappropriate word) was held. In five cities of northern Italy, at the initiative of the Catholic Church, these unique conferences were held, resulting in a very important and serious conversation about the fate of Christian Churches in an eschatological perspective, and about the acute demand for the spiritual experience of our contemporaries - the new Russian saints.

The conferences took place in the universities, monasteries and seminaries of the north of Italy and invariably received great attention from the participants and the media.

The organizer of the conference, the Franciscan monk Professor Fiorenzo Emilio Reati, is known for his translations from Italian and into Italian of the works of the Holy Fathers of the ancient undivided Church. A special sympathy for Father Fiorenzo causes him very important book: "Orthodoxy. The view of a sympathetic Catholic." Now Professor Reati is preparing The Life for publication in Italy. His future plans include the translation of fifty selected lives of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia for Italian Christians.

From the Russian side, the conference was attended by Professor of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Doctor of Historical Sciences M. V. Shkarovsky and I, the author of these lines. He was invited, but due to the heavy workload, the professor could not come.

The indispensable condition of the organizers was the presence of our myrrh-streaming icon at the conference. The presence of the Queen of Heaven at such an important conversation about the spiritual heritage of the New Martyrs, about the need to enter into the precious experience of their suffering for Christ, raised the spiritual “degree” of our meetings, not allowing us to slide into the traditional search for the guilty and scourging the totalitarian regime. The Catholic Christians who came to the conference approached the icon with exceptional reverence, and touching it, many began to cry.

In addition to our reports on the New Martyrs of the Russian Orthodox Church, a study by Professor Reati on representatives of the Catholic Church who suffered for Christ in Russia was proposed.

It must be said that by the beginning of the persecution, the number of believing Catholics in Russia was approaching five million. The study of the investigation files of the NKVD made it possible to select worthy examples of a clear confession of faith by Catholic Christians and their suffering for Christ to death. A number of victims have now been selected by the Catholic Church for the process of beatification (glorification).

It was surprising to hear obvious anxiety and even fear in the questions of the hall, in the comments to the reports in this outwardly calm and prosperous country of the West. Christians of the Catholic Church did not hide their deep inner anxiety about what is happening in the world: the growing godlessness, the atheism of the authorities, the liberal ideology of society, sometimes aggressively directed precisely against Christianity.

It must be admitted that Western Christians perceive with great attention and even trepidation the examples of our New Martyrs' staunch stand for the faith, their experience of opposing the ideological and repressive machine of theomachists.

In the reports and speeches of the conference participants, the idea clearly sounded that the Church of Christ of the 21st century already loudly tells the modern Christian that there is no other way than to join the suffering experience of the martyrs. The Lord gave us this experience of suffering for us to learn from. To form and nurture their inner spiritual world as a Christian in anticipation, in foresight, in preparing oneself for suffering for Christ.

The experience of the New Martyrs, their standing in the faith and ascension to the Cross of martyrdom in the conditions of the order and sovereignty of the Orthodox country, which then collapsed so rapidly, are precious and unique for us. For the wisdom of Christian knowledge teaches us to always remember "that the days are evil"(Eph. 5:16) and that "when they say, 'Peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them, and they will not escape"(1 Thessalonians 5:3).

At the conference, we certainly touched on one special topic. It's open today amazing story the long-standing veneration by the Catholics of Italy of the icon "Softener of Evil Hearts", although until now they knew this image under the name "Madonna del Don" ("Madonna of the Don").

"Madonna del Don"

The essence of the story is this. During the Second World War, on the right bank of the Don, near the city of Pavlovsk, there were Italian mountain rifle units that fought on the side of Germany.

In the second half of December 1942, Hugo Balzare, a private of the Tridentina division of the Italian Alpine Corps, and other soldiers of the platoon of Lieutenant Giuseppe Perego, hiding from terrible bombardments in one of the chalk caves of an old Russian monastery, discovered the icon "Softener of Evil Hearts". This acquisition of the icon was preceded by a certain appearance of the Mother of God to Italian soldiers, the details of which we do not yet know. The found icon was transferred to the camp church, to the military priest-chaplain Father Policarpo from Valdanya.

Local residents told Father Polycarp that this icon was from the cave Resurrection Belogorsky Monastery near Pavlovsk, ruined and blown up by the Bolsheviks, and that Abbot Polycarp was the last rector of the monastery. Not knowing the name of the acquired image, the Italians called the icon "Madonna del Don" ("Don Madonna").

Soon everyone in the Alpine Corps learned about this holy find and began to come to the icon to pray for their salvation. Many later were firmly convinced that they had survived those terrible battles only thanks to the help of the Mother of God - Madonna del Don.

After the Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh offensive of the Soviet troops in January 1943, despite the obvious threat of encirclement, the remnants of the Italian corps, led by the icon Madonna del Don, managed to safely leave Russia and return to Italy.

Many veterans of the Alpine Corps recalled the amazing mercy shown to them by Russian women who lived in the villages on their way to Italy. Most Italians were frostbitten and had no food. And if it were not for the kindness and help of the Russian population, they would all have died. Veterans still remember Russian word"potato", because it was the only food in the Russian villages of that time.

Chaplain Policarpo brought the Madonna of the Don to Italy, in Mestre (the mainland of 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 near this icon in the month of September.

We were able to verify the authenticity of this story by arriving in Venice with our miraculous image. Both our Orthodox parishioners and Italians, among whom there were many gray-haired old men, were present at the prayer service at these two amazing icons standing next to each other. It was a very important meeting. Important for softening our hearts, hardened by the terrible 20th century.

The icon "Madonna of the Don" from the Russian Belogorsk Monastery is now decorated with a rich silver setting, 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 earth from the Don are stored. And numerous inextinguishable lamps are burning.

At parting, all those gathered were anointed with the expired chrism. Until then, 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.

spiritual experience

Each time, approaching a new city, a new temple, where crowds of people were waiting for the icon, we became witnesses of the icon's response to people's aspirations. As soon as we got out of the car and started moving towards people, the myrrh appeared on the entire surface of the icon case.

I must say that the kiot itself is never opened during trips - this is the condition of the keeper of the icon, dictated by concern for the preservation of the image. Let me remind you that a miraculous icon is just a paper image, extremely saturated with the world. And the cavity in the frame under the icon, where myrrh flows, is freed only in calm, domestic 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 - the myrrh flows just as easily up the icon case. It easily increases in quantity, and just as suddenly can disappear from the bottle. But the reasons for such a “non-blessing” will certainly soon become apparent. At the same time, a small glass vial of ointment (the size of a “perfume probe”) is easily enough to anoint many hundreds of those who wish, and still enough for all those who are late.

One can cite a great many different testimonies of grace-filled help from the Queen of Heaven these days, miraculous healings, phenomena, signs ... But the facts of the “accidental” entry into the temple of curious passers-by interested in what is happening are especially vivid. And that moment when an irresistible force of attraction picks them up, draws them to the icon, and now their eyes are full of tears, their hearts are filled with contrition ...

I remember a young, impudent-looking gypsy who went into the temple, either to beg, or to steal something. At this time, I had to go to the altar, and I did not catch the moment when he approached the icon. But soon his cries and sobs were heard. The gypsy stood, clutching the icon case and sobbing in his voice, repeating some words all the time.

The Moldovan parishioners translated, he shouted: “What is this!? What is happening to me!?” I must say that everyone who happened to be near this shrine, with one degree or another of emotionality, was ready to utter these words of amazement.

The icon "Tenderness of Evil Hearts" depicts the Virgin Mary. Seven swords are pointed at her, symbolizing the suffering, pain, sins of man. The image has a "sister" called "Seven-shooter". She is depicted in the same way with one difference - the arrows are located on two sides (on the left - 3, on the right - 4), and in the "Softener of Evil Hearts" one of the swords is located below.

Experts in icon painting identify two images. Often you can find the names of one under the image of another. Such a mistake is not considered gross. The celebration of the "Seven Shooter" and "Softener of Evil Hearts" takes place on the same day.

Origin of the icon

Nothing is known exactly about the origin of the shrine. Experts know that she is of Northern Russian origin. The original image was created a very long time ago, so no records of its history have been preserved.

An analysis of the image painted on canvas pasted on a board made it possible to determine that it belongs to the 18th century. This is evidenced by the type of paints, their condition. It is obvious that the examined canvas is a list from an earlier icon.

Interpretations of the image

The symbolism of the image is multifaceted. It can be interpreted in different ways, and each meaning will be correct in its own way. Three main explanations:

• Gospel - associated with the lines of the Gospel, which were addressed to the Virgin Mary.
• Swords - 7 sins that threaten every person.
• Swords are a physical threat. The birth of Orthodoxy is associated with persecution. Everyone who preached the faith put himself in danger.

Gospel interpretation

On the appointed day, the Mother of God brought her baby to the temple - this was required by the Law of Moses. The local priest Simeon was enlightened - he spent his whole life in fasting and prayer, so he saw the souls of people, could prophesy and work miracles. He saw the holy spirit, understood that the newborn was the Son of God. Simeon told Mary about the greatness of her baby, but warned that she would suffer because of the sacrifice that her son would bring.

“And to You Yourself the weapon will pierce the soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be opened,” the prophet compared mental suffering with physical pain. The fact that there are seven swords on the icon is not an accident. The number means completeness, completeness.

"Simeon's prophecy" is the unofficial name of the icon. She found it because of the gospel lines.

7 Sins

7 swords - as seven sinful passions that threaten a person and destroy the soul: anger, envy, gluttony, adultery, despondency, greed, pride. During severe trials, they also threatened the Virgin Mary during her earthly life. But she did not succumb to sins and went her way with a humble soul and faith in the Almighty. It is believed that through the “Softening of Evil Hearts”, the Mother of God is able to discern any of the sinful feelings in a person and help get rid of him. The icon of the Mother of God reminds us that we must endure all life's hardships, believing in God and humbly obeying his will.

Miraculous acquisition of the image

According to legend, the image was found in the 17th or 18th century in one of the cities of the Vologda region. One peasant suffered almost all his life from lameness - neither doctors, nor healers, nor prayers helped. He had already lost hope of being cured and humbly carried his cross. Once, in a dream, a holy face came to him, who ordered him to visit the local Theological Church and find the image of the Mother of God in the bell tower, where the most dilapidated icons were kept.

At first, the priests did not believe the man and refused to let him go to the ancient shrines. He came three times and only on the third they took pity on him and went to the bell tower. But in the room itself there was not a single image of the Most Holy Theotokos. The peasant did not despair and continued his search. It turned out that the icon served as one of the steps, was covered with mud, and therefore was not seen before. It was an unforgivable sacrilege - they walked on the holy face with their feet. She was immediately washed and a prayer ceremony was held. The chromate has left the man.

Miracles

In 1830, an epidemic raged in the North of the Empire terrible disease. She literally devastated Vologda and its outskirts. The bishop ruling at that time blessed the procession. "Softener of Evil Hearts" was moved to one of the churches in the city. Everyone could come and pray before the holy face for salvation. The epidemic soon subsided.

The fate of the image is unknown. Back in 1930, he was hidden in the Church of St. John the Theologian. It was closed and resumed its work relatively recently. But this shrine was not in it.

"Softener of Evil Hearts" - a new miraculous shrine

The acquisition of one of the miraculous images happened in our days. In 1997, a tragic event for the Orthodox world took place - the "Iberian-Montreal" myrrh-streaming icon was stolen. She mysteriously disappeared the day her keeper died. After some time, the pious Russian woman Margarita bought the image “Softener of Evil Hearts” in one of the church shops.

Catastrophe prediction

At first glance, the shrine was no different from the others. But soon she began to stream myrrh. Moreover, she did this not haphazardly, but reacted to important events occurring in the world. The face of the Virgin changed when in 1999 Moscow was shaken by explosions of houses - black circles were clearly visible under the eyes, and the smell of incense began to be heard around the apartment. After the death of the Kursk, bloody wounds appeared on the shrine. To this day, the image is covered with drops of blood on the eve of tragic events. Many who approached the shrine say that they did not leave the feeling of communication with a living being that understands them and sympathizes.

Wanderings of the shrine around the world

Now the icon is being carried around the world by Margarita's husband. A precious ark was created for her, a chapel was built. The list was present at the election of the new Patriarch of All Russia.

The keeper of the icon says that she herself chooses the paths of wandering and always finds herself where she needs to be. Any most logical plans of the owner always collapse in an instant, and what seemed incredible becomes possible.

What do they pray for

Many are interested in what the image helps with. Holy Mother of God is ours common mother, intercessor before God and the Son. Her image on "Softener of Evil Hearts" is prayed for various things:

• to leave an evil thought, intention or to save their ill-wishers from them;
• return to the true spiritual path, take away doubts in one's faith that appear in difficult situations;
• many prayers to the shrine are directed to get rid of diseases, protect soldiers.

In fact, it is not so important why you pray in front of this or that shrine, what images of saints are on it. The main thing is that the petition be submitted with pure thoughts, from the bottom of the heart - then it will be heard and passed on to the Savior.

Celebration on the Week of All Saints (on the first Sunday after Trinity)

If you are offended at work or at home, if you are tired of being attacked by your boss or colleagues, pray to this image for those who cause you trouble, and they will retreat. You will be surprised how conflicts will subside by themselves and good relations will improve.

Nadezhda Dmitrieva

From the book "Rejoices in You!"

“Softening of evil hearts” ... There is so much hope in one name of this icon - the hope that truth will someday triumph on earth, that people will become kind and merciful, will begin to love each other. And how difficult it is in our hardened 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 Evangelist Luke tells, it was foretold by the Holy Spirit to the righteous elder Simeon the God-Receiver that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. And when Joseph and Mary, on the fortieth day after the birth of the Child, brought Him to the Jerusalem Temple, Simeon came there "by inspiration" and took the Child in his arms (hence the nickname of the God-bearer) and uttered the famous words with which every vespers service has ended since then. and which are known as the Prayer of St. Simeon the God-Receiver: “Now you release your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace ...”

After that, he blessed Saint Joseph and the Most Pure Mother and turned to Mary with the same Simeon's prophecy: hearts."

Just as Christ is pierced with nails and a spear, so the soul of the Most Pure One will be struck by the “weapon” of sadness and heartache when She sees the suffering of the Son; after that, the hitherto hidden thoughts (about the Messiah) of people will be revealed, who will have to make a choice: they are with Christ or against Him. This interpretation of Simeon's prophecy became the subject of several "symbolic" icons of the Virgin. All who resort to them with prayer feel that when the heart is softened, spiritual and bodily suffering is relieved, and they realize that when they pray before these images for their enemies, their hostile feelings are softened, giving way to mercy, internecine strife and enmity subside.

Origin of the icon

The image “Softener of Evil Hearts” apparently comes from South-Western Russia, but, unfortunately, historical information about it has not been preserved; it is not even known where and when the icon appeared. The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Softener of Evil Hearts" is written with swords stuck in Her heart - three on the right and left, one below. The number “seven” in Holy Scripture usually means the fullness, redundancy of something, and in this case, the fullness and boundlessness of that grief, sadness and “heart disease” that the Mother of God experienced during Her earthly life. Sometimes the Pre-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).

Very close to the "Softener of Evil Hearts" is another miraculous image - the icon of the Mother of God "Seven-shot". The only difference between them is that swords are written differently on the "Seven-shooter" - three with right side The Most Pure and four on the left, and her celebration takes place on August 13 according to the old style.

Miracles

"Seven-strelnaya" - of Northern Russian origin: she stayed in the St. John the Theologian Church on the banks of the Toshnia River, which flows into the river of the same name not far from Vologda. A peasant from Kadnikovsky Uyezd suffered from lameness for many years, and no one could help him. But then one day, in a thin dream, a certain voice ordered him to find on the bell tower of the Theological Church, where the dilapidated icons were kept, the image of the Most Pure One and pray before him for healing. The peasant several times asked to be let into the bell tower, but they did not believe his words. Only on the third time was he allowed to rise. It turned out that the icon, covered with rubbish and dirt, served as a step on the stairs, and the ringers walked along 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 was healed.

Many more years passed, generations changed, people began to forget about this miracle, but in 1830 the Vologda province, like most of European Russia, suffered a terrible cholera epidemic. During it, the shrines from Toshnia were transferred to Vologda and placed in the "cold" (summer) church of Dmitry Prilutsky on Navoloka. Then the Christ-loving inhabitants of Vologda turned to the "Seven-strelnaya" and, together with other shrines, surrounded it with a solemn procession around the city. The cholera receded as suddenly as it came.

In memory of the miraculous deliverance of Vologda from cholera, the townspeople ordered and placed in the Dmitrievskaya church a list with the "Seven-strelnaya", from which miracles also began to occur over time. Divine service here ceased in 1930, resumed on July 13, 2001, but there was no shrine left in the church.

During the Great Patriotic War in the south of the Voronezh region, in the area known as Belogorye, there were Italian mountain rifle units that 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 “Softener of Evil Hearts” in the house destroyed by bombing, which they handed over to their military priest - chaplain, Father Policarpo from Valdaña. According to local residents, this icon came from the cave Resurrection Belogorsk Monastery near Pavlovsk. The Italians called her "Madonna del Don" ("Don Madonna"; this image should not be confused with Our Lady of the Don). After the Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh offensive of the 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 (the mainland of 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 the same type was located in the cathedral of the city of Zhizdra in the south-west of the Kaluga province, near the Bryansk lands, and was known as “Passionate” or “And weapons will pass through your very soul,” as indicated in the cathedral inventory. She was also celebrated on August 13 - on the same day as the "Seven-shot" and with a much more common "Passion" icon of a completely different type (the original miraculous image was in the Moscow Passion Monastery; on it, near the face of the Hodegetria, two Angels with instruments of passions were depicted Lord's - with a cross, a sponge and a copy). Unlike such passionate ones, on the Zhizdra icon the Most Pure One is written in a prayer position; With one hand She supports the Infant lying at Her feet, while with the other she covers Her breast from seven swords directed at her.

Troparion, tone 5

Soften our evil hearts, O Mother of God, and quench the misfortunes of those who hate us, and resolve all the narrowness of our soul, looking at Your holy image, we are touched by Your suffering and mercy and kiss Your wounds, but our arrows, You torment, are horrified. Do not give us, Mother of Mercy, to perish in our hardness of heart and from the hardness of our neighbors, Thou art truly evil hearts Softening.

Prayer

O many-sided Mother of God, Exceeding all the daughters of the earth, according to Your purity and the multitude of sufferings You have transferred to the earth, accept our many painful sighs and save us under the shelter of Your mercy. Otherwise, for refuge and warm intercession, don’t you know, but, as if you have boldness to the One who was born from you, help and save us with your prayers, so that we unstoppably reach the Kingdom of Heaven, even with all the saints we will sing in the Trinity to the One God, now and forever and till the end of time. Amen.

Editorial response

On August 26, the Orthodox Church glorifies the icon of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts" in its version of the "Seven Arrows".

This icon is also called "Simeon's Prophecy". The Mother of God is depicted with seven swords piercing her heart. On the "Seven Arrows" icon, they are arranged as follows: four on the left and three on the right, and on the "Simeon's Prophecy" the seventh sword is drawn from below. At present, in the Russian Orthodox Church, it is customary to consider these icons to be varieties of the same iconographic type and, accordingly, to combine the days of their celebration.

Icons of the Mother of God "Softener of evil hearts". "Seven Arrows" and "Simeon's Prophecy". Source: Public Domain

The number "seven" in Holy Scripture usually means the fullness, redundancy of something, and in this case, the fullness and boundlessness of the grief that Mother of God during earthly life, when she happened to see the torment Jesus on the cross. Sometimes the baby Christ is also written on the lap of the Blessed Virgin.

The image also has another, allegorical meaning: the swords that injure the Blessed Virgin are the seven deadly sins. It is about these sins, about the softening of hearts 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 foretold that he would see the Savior. When the Virgin Mary and Joseph They brought the baby Jesus to the temple 40 days after his birth, where they were met by Simeon. The elder took the child in his arms (hence his nickname, the God-bearer) and uttered the famous words with which every vespers service has ended since then: “Now, release Thy servant, Master, according to Thy word, in peace...”

After that, Simeon turned to Mary with a prophecy: “Behold, this lies for the fall and the uprising of many in Israel and for the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pierce the soul of You, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.”

Thus, the elder predicted to the Mother of God that she would be destined to endure much grief and sorrow at the sight of the suffering of her son.

Such an interpretation of Simeon's prophecy became the subject of the "symbolic" icon of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts".

Where did the icon "Softener of 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 Russia more than 500 years ago.

The veneration of this image in Catholicism is known.

The icon "Seven Arrows" came from the Russian North, from the Vologda region. Its first location is the Church of St. John the Theologian on the banks of the Toshni River, which flows near Vologda. The icon is over 600 years old, but, in all likelihood, this is a later list from the original image, which has been lost.

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 on the bell tower of the Church of St. John the Theologian. Climbing the bell tower, he stumbled and saw under his feet on an inverted step the image of the Virgin.

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

The ministers of the church 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 raging in Vologda. This disaster instilled fear in the inhabitants and prompted them to seek help from the Most Holy Theotokos. The miraculous icon "Softener of Evil Hearts" was surrounded around the city with a procession, after which the diseases began to noticeably subside, and soon the epidemic stopped.

How does the icon protect?

It is believed that prayer before the icon "Softening Evil Hearts" helps to 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, before this image of the Virgin, you can ask for protection in case any hostility breaks out - in the family or in society. The icon is resorted to during the war with a request to the Mother of God to protect from attack.

When is the celebration of the icon?

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 the Week of All Saints - on the ninth Sunday after Easter, the first after the Holy Trinity.

In which temples is the icon located?

- Church of Michael the Archangel at the Clinics on the Maiden's Field - Moscow, st. Elansky, d. 2a.

- Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts" in the village. Bachurino - Moscow region, Leninsky district, Bachurino village.

- Temple in the name of the holy righteous Lazarus - Vologda, st. Burmaginykh, 50.

How to pray in front of an icon?

Before the icon "Softener of evil hearts" and "Seven-shot" prayers are read:

Troparion, tone 4

Soften our evil hearts, O Mother of God, and quench the misfortunes of those who hate us, and resolve all the narrowness of our soul, looking at Your holy image, we are touched by Your suffering and mercy and kiss Your wounds, but our arrows, You torment, are horrified. Do not give us, Mother of Mercy, to perish in our hardness of heart and from the hardness of our neighbors, Thou art truly evil hearts Softening.

Prayer

O many-sided Mother of God, Exceeding all the daughters of the earth, according to Your purity and the multitude of sufferings You have transferred to the earth, accept our many painful sighs and save us under the shelter of Your mercy. Otherwise, for refuge and warm intercession, don’t you know, but, as if you have boldness to the One who was born from you, help and save us with your prayers, so that we unstoppably reach the Kingdom of Heaven, even with all the saints we will sing in the Trinity to the One God, now and forever and till the end of time. Amen.