The seven-shot icon of the Mother of God meaning and what it helps with

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Icons take their place of honor not only in temples, cathedrals and churches, but also in the homes of ordinary people. For many centuries, the image of the Seven-Shot Mother of God has been considered one of the most powerful and miraculous images. It is believed that by placing such a shrine in your home, you can protect yourself and your family from many disasters and misfortunes. Therefore, every believer should know what helps and where to place a miraculous image.

How to pray in front of an icon

What does the “Seven Arrow” Icon of the Virgin Mary mean?

The ancient shrine depicts the Mother of God, who is pierced by seven arrows or seven swords. It is also called “Softening Evil Hearts” or “Simeon’s Prophecy.” There are different images of this image. In some the Mother of God is alone, in others she is with angels, saints or her son. The arrows or swords symbolize the grief and pain that the Virgin Mary experienced during the crucifixion of Jesus.

The number seven in Christianity means completeness or excess. And in this case, the meaning of the icon conveys the endless pain and bitterness of the mother.

Some interpret the meaning of the “Seven Arrow” icon as seven human sinful passions, which it is able to read in every evil heart. The Mother of God asks everyone to eradicate all sinful thoughts and is ready to ask the Son to help all those who pray through intercession.

Unfortunately, no ancient writings provide information about the origin of this shrine. There are only various assumptions. Some are of the opinion that Softening Evil Hearts is about five centuries old, while others are sure that it is much longer.

A little about the text of the prayer itself

The prayer of the Seven Shot Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” exists only in two forms. One is in the Old Church language, the second is in Russian, it is small in volume, so there are no problems with studying it.

It is recommended to read the prayer slowly. Pronounce each word with the necessary stress, thinking about it. Having finished your prayer, linger near the holy image, mentally concentrating on what worries you. Share your experiences with the One Creator.

“Softening Evil Hearts” is the most powerful prayer that is aimed at restoring the Orthodox world. She is able to eliminate discord in relationships with relatives, reconcile people after a conflict, give Christians happiness and health, peace of mind, which we all seek in faith.

How does the “Seven Shot” icon help?

It is definitely known that the meaning of the icon of the “Seven Arrow” Mother of God is of North Russian origin. For many years it was located in the Church of St. John the Theologian, near the city of Vologda. In those places there was a popular story that conveyed what the Mother of God “Seven Arrows” helps with. So:

One resident of Kadnikovsky district had been suffering from many illnesses for many years. What bothered him most was his limp. And then one day he dreamed of an image that said in a divine voice: “Go to the bell tower of the Theological Church and find where the ancient icons are kept. Among them is the face of the Mother of God. Pray before her and you can be healed.”

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The next morning the peasant went to church and began to look for the image he needed. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not find her. And only after a long search it turned out that the shrine served instead of one step when climbing the bell tower. She was completely covered in dirt. The man washed and cleaned the ancient image and prayed. After this, a miraculous healing occurred.

The shrine became especially popular at the beginning of the 19th century when cholera was rampant in these parts. This terrible disease struck fear throughout the entire area. Residents had to seek protection from the Mother of God. “Softening Evil Hearts” with a prayer service was carried around Vologda with a procession of the cross.

After this action, the disaster quickly subsided and the illnesses of the inhabitants ceased. Soon many testimonies and stories appeared about how She helps and protects believers.

Let's summarize

The Seven-Arrow Icon of the Mother of God is a reminder to believers of the torment that the Mother of our Savior Jesus Christ endured when she saw the suffering and death of her son.
This image is most often addressed when asking to calm one’s own raging heart, suffering from anger, hatred, and strong resentment. It is also believed that praying to an icon will help soften the soul of the person who offends you.
Most often, a prayer called “Softening Evil Hearts” is read before the Seven Shore Mother of God.
In our country there are many miraculous lists of this image. The strongest are in Moscow and near Vologda.

And if you have some free time, be sure to watch this short (only 26 minutes) documentary. From it you will learn about the history of the creation and miracles of this image, and also get acquainted with real people, our contemporaries, whose offended and evil hearts the Mother of God managed to soften:

Sources

https://ohristianstve.ru/ikony-i-svyatye/ot-chego-pomogaet-semistrelnaya-ikona-bozhej-materi.html
https://omolitvah.ru/ikony/semistrelnaya-ikona-bozhey-materi/
https://pravoslavy.ru/molitvy/umyagchenie-zlyh-serdets
https://TayniyMir.com/molitvyi/molitva-semistrelnoy-bozhey-materi-umyagchenie-zlyih-serdets.html
https://bogolub.info/molitva-semistrelnoj-bozhiej-materi/
https://obereginfo.ru/molitvy/semistrelnaya-ikona-ee-znachenie-ot-chego-oberegaet
https://molitvy.guru/molitvy/kak-chitat-molitvu-bozhej-materi-umyagchenie-zlyh-serdets-tekst-na-russkom
https://TayniyMir.com/molitvyi/semistrelnoy-materi.html

When does the celebration take place?

And although all the icons “Seven Arrows”, “Simeon’s Prophecy”, “Softening Evil Hearts” are slightly different, they are classified as the same iconographic type. That is why many centuries ago it was decided to combine the days of celebrating these icons.

Days of celebration of the image in liturgical practice are carried out:

on All Saints Sunday - this is the ninth Sunday after Easter;
on the first Sunday after Holy Trinity;
August 13/26.

Revered miracles of the image

For more than half a century, Semistrelnaya showed people her miraculous powers. All of them are confirmed historically and by witness testimony:

The first miracle is the appearance of the icon. After all, until the moment of the peasant’s vision, no one remembered about her. The image itself “declared” itself, wishing to return to the people in all its strength.
The second happened in the 19th century, when a plague epidemic swept across the country. Cities and villages perished, villages died. The plague captured more and more new areas and reached the Vologda province. Priests and parishioners despaired of stopping the plague with medical forces and prayed to Semistrelnaya. Having taken the image out of the church, they performed several processions of the cross. In the evenings they prayed fervently before the Intercessor, and the pestilence subsided. Since then, it has been customary to hang the icon at the head of patients suffering from incurable or severe pathologies.
The second discovery of the icon called the Don Madonna (Madonna del Don). The image was lost during the time of great persecution after 1917. It was found only in December 1942 near the Don, where there were battles between the Soviet Army and Italian troops. We must give the enemy soldiers their due - they not only carefully handed the icon to the chaplain, but also did not dare to violate the image, as was the case with other icons. After the victorious offensive of the Soviet troops, the enemy divisions were defeated. The icon passed into the hands of Russian soldiers, and then was solemnly handed over to Chaplain Policarpio.

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It is interesting that the SA generals, who were categorically opposed to the church, admitted that they were saved many times by Semistrelnaya. After a fierce offensive, battles were fought in which death threatened all living things. And the salvation of the SA divisions, according to the veterans, was impossible without the protection of the Queen of Heaven. Everyone prayed to her - from privates to army generals. And She helped to withstand and cope with the monstrous onslaught of the best forces of the Wehrmacht.

In which temples is the shrine located?

In the Moscow region there are two myrrh-streaming icons of Our Lady of the Seven Arrows. The first is located in the Church of the Archangel Michael in Moscow.

The second image is kept near Moscow in the village of Bachurino. The history of the second shrine is quite interesting. The thing is that this image is printed. It was printed for Margarita Vorobyova, but the owner noticed that the face of the Mother of God was streaming myrrh. After this, it was handed over to the church and recognized as miraculous. Recently, the image has been taken to various churches in Russia and abroad.

Another image is located in the Church of St. Lazarus the Righteous in the city of Vologda. The face of the Mother of God occupies one of the important places in the local church. It has been in this place since 1945. Previously, the icon was miraculously revealed in the Church of St. John the Evangelist. Today, pilgrimages take place here twice a year.

One of the lists of the shrine "Softening Evil Hearts" is in the Chapel of Venice. She came to Italy after the events associated with the Great Patriotic War. In 1942, not far from Belogorye (Voronezh region) near the Don, troops of the allied Italy fought against the German coalition. Italian soldiers, in a house destroyed by a bomb, found the surviving icon “Softening Evil Hearts.” This image was given to the Italian priest Policarpo.

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Local residents said that it was previously the property of the Resurrection Belogorsk Monastery. The Italians gave the shrine a new name, “Madonna del Don,” but this image had nothing in common with Our Lady of the Don. A year later, the Italians were defeated, and the priest fled with the image to Maistre, where a chapel was built for the miraculous icon. Many Slavs came to this place to mourn those killed in World War II.

Another list is located in the city of Zhizdra, Kaluga province. The icon is of the same type, and in the description it is listed as “Simeon’s Prophecies”. It is slightly different from “Seven Shots” and “Softening Evil Hearts” in that in it the Mother of God covers herself from seven swords with one hand, and holds her baby with the other. The image reads the following words: “And a weapon will pierce your very soul.”

What helps and where to hang the “Seven Shots” icon in the apartment

This shrine in modern merciless times is considered one of the most necessary and significant. And yet, what does the “Seven Arrow” icon protect against?
A prayer service before this image will help with outbreaks of family or neighborly enmity. The icon protects against people’s intolerance towards you.
It will also help with outbursts of irritation, anger or anger. These properties of human nature are present in every person and are not his best properties.
In times of hostility between nations, people turned to the image of the Mother of God for help, asking for protection. It is believed that prayer in front of the face of the Mother of God can soften the enemy’s heart. After all, even the name of the image “Softening Evil Hearts” speaks for itself.
Society today has become so cruel that people don’t even notice it. And the face of the Mother of God with a pierced heart helps to feel mercy and compassion. This allows you to reconcile people who are in a quarrel or hostility. Prayers improve dysfunctional relationships between spouses, loved ones and relatives.
It is also known that if you visit the temple where Semistrelnaya is located and pray to her with all your heart, you can be healed of physical and mental illnesses.

Placing an icon in the house

Believers, before placing an image, often ask themselves the question: how to hang the “Seven Arrow” icon and where is the best place to place it? The best place for such a shrine, of course, would be its own equipped corner. Other icons that are significant to a person are also placed in it.

There are practically no requirements in this regard. But there is still a list of important recommendations:

To attract positive energy, it is better to place the face of the Mother of God on the eastern side of the house;
It is acceptable to place the image above the front door;
You can also hang it opposite the entrance. Just like in the second option, this helps protect the house from evil spirits, negative energy and other evil;
Priests recommend adding a towel to the face of the Mother of God;
It is not recommended to place various talismans, amulets and other objects that do not belong to the Christian religion next to the icon;
The corner or place for the icon must be constantly clean. Regular cleaning is required;
It is not advisable to place household appliances or any images nearby;
It is not recommended to hang photographs of relatives or family members next to it.

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The meaning of the icon of the Mother of God with arrows

Seven-arrow icon of the Mother of God
According to legend, the seven-arrow icon was first found in the Kadnikovsky district of the Vologda region.

A peasant of this district, who suffered from many ailments, had a dream. In a dream, the angels told him that if he prayed to the icon of the Mother of God, he would be healed of his illnesses. The icon should have been found in the bell tower of the local church. The peasant, having told the servants a dream, asked twice to let him into the bell tower and was refused each time. The rector of the church was sure that there was no icon in it. However, the peasant showed persistence, and he was allowed in for the third time.

Climbing the bell tower, the man carefully examined everything around him. On the floor, before the turn of the stairs, he saw an inconspicuous board. Bell ringers walked along it for many years. It turned out that on the back of the board there is an image of the Virgin Mary, with seven arrows directed into her chest.

The found icon was the prototype of the Seven-Arrow Icon. It was kept in the Church of St. John the Theologian, not far from the Toshni River.

In 1930, there was a large-scale outbreak of cholera in Vologda. The disease claimed many lives. Residents of the province appealed to the Mother of God and begged her for protection. A religious procession was organized. The priest, holding the icon in his hands, walked around the city. A miracle happened, cholera began to subside, and soon stopped altogether.

REFERENCE. After the October Revolution, the Seven-Arrow Icon disappeared from the Toshenskaya Church, and to this day has not been discovered.

According to legend, the image on the icon was at least 500 years old. In one of the churches of Vologda, Dmitry Prilutsky, has a copy of the icon copied from the original, which also became famous for its miracles.

Usually the Mother of God is depicted with the baby Jesus in her arms. But on the Semistrelnaya icon she is alone. There are arrows or swords aimed at her chest from both sides. Three on the right side and four on the left. These arrows symbolize the unsurpassed pain of the Virgin Mary at the moment of the crucifixion of her son.

The number seven represents the number of sins. The heart of the Mother of God is endlessly tormented by human sins.

REFERENCE. The seven-shot icon is similar to the icons of Simeon’s Prophecy and the Softening of Evil Hearts. They belong to the general iconographic type.

Seven-shot icon in the temple

Celebration days:

August 26 according to the new calendar (August 13 according to the old one);
on the first Sunday after the celebration of the Holy Trinity;
on All Saints Sunday.

The icon of the Mother of God of Seven Arrows is currently located in the Moscow Church of the Archangel Michael.

The second icon, made by printing, was given by its owner to the church in the village of Bachurino. The woman for whom the icon was made discovered that the shrine was streaming myrrh and gave it to the church. The image was recognized as miraculous.

Two more lists are in the Kaluga region and in Venice.

How to pray in front of an icon

It is necessary to sincerely read the following prayers of the “Seven Arrow” Icon of the Mother of God:

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 souls, 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 our arrows, which You torment. Do not let us, O Merciful 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 know of no other refuge and warm intercession, but since you have the boldness to be born of You, help and save us with Your prayers, so that we may without stumbling reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing praises in the Trinity to the One God, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen".

After this, you can turn to the Mother of God asking for help. Thus, this shrine is considered one of the best miraculous icons. That is why it deserves a place in every believer’s home.

God bless you!

What icons are hung above or opposite the front door?

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Novoslobodskaya, 20, building 4127055 Russia, Moscow 7 (495) 743-32-48 Orthodox believers often ask the question: is it possible to hang icons above the front door? Of course, the canons of the Orthodox Church allow this to be done.

But here it is very important to understand that an icon is not a talisman that will protect your home from ill-wishers

An icon at the entrance to a house may be necessary so that every person who sees it remembers the name of God and can turn to the holy image with prayer, thank higher powers for their help and ask for intercession.

An icon is, first of all, your helper to tune in to prayer and turn to God or the saints, as well as to revive hope for God’s help and the successful resolution of a particular request.

Which icon is best to hang above or opposite the front door of the house? To do this, you can choose almost any Christian image, however, among them there are those most often found in the homes of Orthodox believers.

Savior Not Made by Hands (Savior on Ubrus)

Price: from 7,000 rub.

This icon of Jesus Christ is quite often found opposite the front door in Christian homes. According to legend, this face appeared as an imprint on a handkerchief after the Savior wiped his face with it and it is believed that it is the one that is most similar to the true image of Jesus Christ.

The placement of the icon “Savior on Ubrus” above the entrance door is very symbolic, because the Savior himself says to himself: “I am the door: whoever enters by Me will be saved” (John 10:9). Thus emphasizing that the path to salvation lies through Him.

Seven-shot Icon of the Mother of God

Price: from 9,500 rub.

Before this image, it is customary to ask the Mother of God to soften the hearts of household members, to grant peace and quiet in the family, a warm and sincere atmosphere in the house, as well as to protect the hearth from enemies and ill-wishers.
More often, the Seven-Arrow Icon is hung opposite the front door, so that everyone entering the house will first meet the gaze of the Mother of God, and all bad thoughts will leave him.

Icon of the Mother of God Impenetrable Door

Price: from 80,000 rub.

This icon, even by its name, reminds us of the intercession of the Mother of God. Truly She is an impenetrable door for any evil, enemies, ill-wishers. Found more than 800 years ago in one of the Christian churches, this icon remains unharmed to this day, despite the fact that the temple itself is almost destroyed.

“The Impenetrable Door” reminds us that by turning to the Mother of God in prayer, we can always, by our faith, receive help and ward off troubles and misfortunes from ourselves and our loved ones.

The Guardian Angel is God's messenger, bringing His love and protection to earth and protecting you and your home from troubles and troubles. An icon with his image, placed above or opposite the front door, will always remind you of your Angel and encourage you to turn to him in prayer.

He, like a Guiding Star, will always guide you and direct you only to godly deeds and thoughts, accompany you on the road and ward off evil from you and your home.

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You can purchase an icon in our workshop, which will become a priceless gift for any Orthodox Christian, and it will also patronize your home or the home of your loved ones for many years.

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