Icon of calming evil hearts. Powerful prayer to soften evil hearts
The Day of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2/15) also marks the veneration of the icon of the Mother of God “Softening” evil hearts or Simeon’s Prophecy”, on which the prophecy of Elder Simeon is depicted with symbolic signs. The seven swords stuck into the heart of the Mother of God signify the fullness of the grief She experienced in earthly life.
In modern liturgical practice, it is customary to combine the celebration of different icons of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” on one day (August 13/26).
Softening Evil Hearts – A Continuous Miracle
For twelve years there has been a continuously occurring miracle in the world. This is the miracle of the myrrh flow and bleeding of the icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts.” 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.
Myrrh-streaming icon “Softening Evil Hearts”
When you meet her, you never leave the feeling of communicating with a “living being.” Everyone who had the chance to partake of this spiritual joy will never forget the obvious reality of the meeting with the Queen of Heaven Herself.
A parallel involuntarily arises with the famous myrrh-streaming icon “Iverskaya-Montreal”, which disappeared without a trace in the fall of 1997 simultaneously with the martyrdom of its custodian. The service of that Icon and its guardian lasted exactly 15 years. But, as we see, not on for a long time The Queen of Heaven left us orphans. New myrrh-streaming icon was revealed just a few months later, in the spring of 1998, to the Muscovite Margarita.
And for twelve years now, the keeper of the icon, Sergei (Margarita’s husband), has been traveling with the new myrrh-streaming icon all over the world from the USA to Australia, from Mount Athos to the Far East. And everywhere the icon generously pours out its healing myrrh, 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 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. The keeper of the icon can tell you about all this, but let’s not offend countries and continents... Let’s talk about something else: for the first time, streams of blood flowed from the sores that appeared on the icon on August 12, 2000, the day when the whole country was horrified when it learned 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 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.
What does this sign say? What is the Mother of God warning about, what is She preparing for, and what is She strengthening the Russian army against?..
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MYRRHSTREAMING ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD “SOFTENING EVIL HEARTS”
On May 3, 1998, the owner of an icon purchased in an ordinary church shop, Margarita Vorobyova, noticed that myrrh was flowing down the surface of the icon. These phenomena of myrrh flow and fragrance began to recur from time to time.
On August 12, 2000, ulcers from tiny wounds appeared on the arms and neck of the Mother of God, and an obvious bloody ulcer appeared on the left shoulder. Soon it was reported that the nuclear submarine Kursk sank. The days of general sorrow came, and by November 21, 2000, the day of the Archangel Michael, streams of blood flowed down the icon for the first time, which could be collected on cotton wool along with the world. Since then, the myrrh flow and bleeding of the icon have not stopped and are accompanied by a 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 awaited all over the world. She has already visited many dioceses of Russia and has been abroad many times - in Belarus, the Czech Republic, the USA, Australia, Ukraine, on Holy Mount Athos, in Germany... Many people who worshiped this image of the Queen of Heaven with love and reverence witnessed cases of healings, experiencing a feeling special spiritual joy from touching a shrine.
On January 27-29, 2009, the myrrh-streaming icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Softening 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 Theodore Icon of the Mother of God, the election of a new Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church took place - His Holiness Patriarch Moscow and All Rus' Kirill.
The miraculous image of the myrrh-streaming and oozing drops of blood icon “Softening Evil Hearts” really softens bitter, evil, indifferent and cold hearts. People seem to wake up from spiritual hibernation and direct their hearts to God, glorifying our Queen of Heaven, the Most Holy Theotokos:
“Rejoice, much-sorrowful Mother of God, transforming our sorrow into joy!”
Seven Shot 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, parishioners of the Orthodox Milan Church of St. Ambrose of 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, Abbot Mitrofan, accompanied by carabinieri, were allowed directly “to the plane.” It was decided to open the wooden case-ark with the shrine, taken out of the plane by the custodian of the icon Sergei, here in order to solemnly bring the icon into the airport hall. However, upon opening the case, we were shocked - the icon case almost floated in a fragrant world.
Having lifted 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 all covered in blood. “There are no “former” officers,” the words of a movie character 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 God’s accounts...
Meanwhile, something unexpected began to happen at the icon - a kind of spiritual feast. The Italian Carabinieri, seeing this miracle, rushed to touch the image with both hands, almost “pouring” the fragrant liquid onto themselves. Seeing what was happening, other airport service employees, customs officers, border guards, police officers, that is, everyone who happened to be nearby at this exciting moment, came running. It became clear that the Mother of God was very pleased with this Italian land, these believers with their constant and traditionally deep veneration of the Virgin Mary.
When the icon and I walked out into the huge hall of the international airport, hundreds of our Orthodox people, greeting the shrine, sang glorification Holy Virgin, and instantly found themselves in the power of irresistible grace, literally covering everyone with waves of God’s all-conquering love.
It was impossible to hold back the tears. Everyone sang and cried. And they stretched out their hands for the wholesome myrrh, which was enough for everyone... I looked at my palms again - now the myrrh on them was crystal clear. This means that that brief 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 people walking in the city on a weekday. However, there are no coincidences for the Lord; our icon arrived in Italy on one of the main feasts of the Mother of God in the Catholic world - December 8th Immaculate Conception Virgin Mary.
To the main thing Orthodox church northern Italy was not suitable - thousands of people with tears met the Queen of Heaven in the image of Her “Softening of Evil Hearts.”
A prayer service began, an akathist, incessant singing by the whole world and anointing, tears and anointing... The Mother of God showed 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 in Italy, where they were waiting for her with undisguised jealousy, excitement and impatience. With an endless stream of more and more people arriving, arriving, 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, made it to the St. Ambrose Church in Milan, where a crowd was already standing, hundreds of parishioners were waiting for us, in order to begin the endless singing and magnification of the Queen of Heaven, to simply stand next to this icon, touch it and absorb drops of the blessed peace. Here in the temple people prepared tea, brought food for everyone, and here on the floor, exhausted, they lay down to sleep for a while, but did not leave the icon all night. But in the morning everyone had to go to work, and the work, frankly speaking, was very hard.
Father Ambrose spent all these nights with the people in church, singing, praying, sometimes anointing with myrrh, sometimes preaching, sometimes confessing, sometimes dozing on a chair...
It was probably 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 no one called anything of his property his own, but they had everything in common.”(Acts 4:32).
And in the morning there were new cities, parishes, prayer services ahead... 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 holding the conference “New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia during the Persecution in the 20th Century” “fell” (albeit an inappropriate word). In five cities of northern Italy, at the initiative of the Catholic Church, these unique conferences were held, which resulted in a very important and serious conversation about the fate of the 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 universities, monasteries and seminaries in northern Italy and invariably received great attention from participants and the media.
The organizer of the conference, Franciscan friar Professor Fiorenzo Emilio Reati, is known for his translations from and into Italian of the works of the holy fathers of the ancient undivided Church. A special sympathy for Father Fiorenzo arouses his very important book: “Orthodoxy. The view of a sympathetic Catholic." Now Professor Reati is preparing “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 Dr. historical sciences M.V. Shkarovsky and I, the author of these lines. I was invited, but due to the heavy workload the professor was unable to come.
An indispensable condition of the organizers was the presence of our myrrh-streaming icon at the conference. The presence of the Queen of Heaven during such an important conversation about spiritual heritage 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 flagellation of the totalitarian regime. 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, we offered a study by Professor Reati about the representatives who suffered for Christ on the territory of Russia Catholic Church.
It must be said that by the beginning of the persecution the number of Catholic believers in Russia was approaching five million. The study of the NKVD investigative files made it possible to select worthy examples of the clear confession of faith by Catholic Christians and their suffering for Christ to the point of 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 from the audience and in the comments on the reports in this seemingly calm and prosperous Western country. Christians of the Catholic Church did not hide their deep inner anxiety about what was happening in the world: growing atheism, atheism of the authorities, the liberal ideology of society, sometimes aggressively directed specifically against Christianity.
It should be recognized that Western Christians perceive with great attention and even trepidation the examples of our new martyrs’ steadfast standing for the faith, their experience of confronting the ideological and repressive machine of the atheists.
In the reports and speeches of the conference participants, the idea was clear that the Church of Christ of the 21st century is already loudly telling the modern Christian that there is no other way but to join in the suffering experience of the martyrs. The Lord gave us this experience of suffering so that we could learn from it. To form and nurture your inner spiritual world a Christian in anticipation, in anticipation, in preparing himself to suffer for Christ.
The experience of the new martyrs, their standing in faith and ascension to the Cross of martyrdom in the conditions of the then so rapidly collapsed order and sovereign structure of the Orthodox country is 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 destruction will suddenly come upon them, and they will not escape.”(1 Thess. 5:3).
At the conference we certainly touched on one special topic. This has revealed in our days the amazing history of the long-standing veneration of the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” by Italian Catholics, although until now they knew this image under the name “Madonna del Don” (“Madonna of the Don”).
"Madonna del Don"
The gist of the story is this. During the Second World War, on the right bank of the Don, near the city of Pavlovsk, Italian mountain rifle units fought on the side of Germany.
In the second half of December 1942, Ugo Balzare, a private of the Tridentina division of the Italian Alpine Corps, and other soldiers of Lieutenant Giuseppe Perego’s platoon, hiding from terrible bombing in one of the chalk caves of an ancient Russian monastery, discovered the icon “Softening Evil Hearts.” This discovery 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 Valdagna.
Local residents told Father Polycarp that this icon was from the cave Resurrection Belogorsk Monastery near Pavlovsk, destroyed and blown up by the Bolsheviks, and that the last abbot of the monastery was Abbot Polycarp. Not knowing the name of the acquired image, the Italians called the icon “Madonna del Don” (“Madonna 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-Rossoshan offensive 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 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.
We were able to verify the authenticity of this story when we arrived in Venice with our miraculous image. At the prayer service with these two amazing icons standing next to each other, both our Orthodox parishioners and Italians, among whom there were many gray-haired old men, were present. It was a very important meeting. Important for softening our hearts, hardened by the terrible 20th century.
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 stood somewhat at a distance and watched what was happening from the side, could not stand it and also came under the anointing.
Spiritual experience
Every time we approached 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 custodian 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 people who want it, and there is still enough for all those who are late.
One can cite a great many different testimonies of gracious help from the Queen of Heaven these days, miraculous healings, apparitions, signs... But the facts of the “accidental” entry into the temple of curious passers-by interested in what was happening remain especially vivid in my memory. And that moment when an irresistible force of gravity picks them up, draws them to the icon, and now their eyes are full of tears, their hearts are full of contrition...
I remember a young, impudent-looking gypsy who came into the temple, either to beg or to steal something. At this time I had to go into the altar, and I did not catch the moment when he approached the icon. But soon his screams and sobs began to be heard. The gypsy stood, clutching the icon case and sobbing loudly, all the time repeating some words.
The Moldovan parishioners translated, he shouted: “What is this!? What’s happening to me!?” It must be said that everyone who found themselves next to this shrine, with one degree or another of emotionality, was ready to utter these words of amazement.
Theology used sacred poetic images to describe mental forces that do not have an image, meaning our mind, taking care of its inherent and akin ability to rise from the earthly to the heavenly and adapting its mysterious sacred images to its concepts.
Saint Dionysius the Areopagite.
"On the Heavenly Hierarchy"
“Softening Evil Hearts”... There is so much hope in the name of this icon - the hope that one day truth will triumph on earth, that people will become kind and merciful, and will begin to love each other. And how difficult it is in our bitter world, and sometimes only the sight of someone else’s suffering can soften our own evil heart...
This icon is also called “Simeon’s Prophecy.” As the Evangelist Luke narrates, the righteous elder Simeon the God-Receiver was predicted by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. And so, when the parents, on the fortieth day after the birth of the Child, brought Him to the Temple of Jerusalem, Simeon also came there “by inspiration,” took the Child in his arms (hence the nickname God-Receiver) and uttered the famous words with which since then every Vespers service and famous like the Prayer of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver: “Now dost thou dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word, in peace...” Afterwards he blessed Saint Joseph and the Most Pure Mother of the Savior and turned to Mary with the same Simeon’s prophecy: “behold, this one lies to fall and against the rebellion of many in Israel and the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pierce your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Just as Christ is pierced with nails and a spear, so the soul of the Most Pure One will be struck by some “weapon” of sadness and heartache when She sees the suffering of the Son; Afterwards, the hitherto hidden thoughts (about the Messiah) of people who will have to make a choice will be revealed: they are with Christ or against Him. This interpretation of Simeon’s prophecy became the subject of several “symbolic” icons of the Mother of God. All those who come to them with prayer feel that when the heart is softened, mental and physical suffering is alleviated, and they realize: when they pray before these images for their enemies, then their hostile feelings soften, giving way to mercy, internecine warfare and enmity subside.
The image of “Softening Evil Hearts” apparently comes from Southwestern Rus', however historical information Unfortunately, there was never anything about him; it is not even known where and when the icon appeared. The Most Pure “Softening of Evil Hearts” is written with swords stuck into Her heart - three on the right and left, one on the bottom. The number “seven” in the Holy Scriptures usually means completeness, redundancy of something, and in in this case- the fullness and vastness of that grief, sadness and “heart disease” that the Mother of God experienced during Her earthly life. Sometimes the Eternal Child is also written on the lap of the Most Pure Virgin.
The celebration of this image takes place on the Sunday of All Saints (on the first Sunday after Trinity).
Another miraculous image is very close to “Softening Evil Hearts” - the “Seven Arrow” icon of the Mother of God. The only difference between them is that on the “Semistrelnaya” swords are written differently - three with right side The Most Pure One and four on the left, and her celebration takes place on August 13 according to the old style.
“Semistrelnaya” is of North Russian origin: it resided in the Church of St. John the Theologian on the banks of the Toshni River, which, not far from Vologda, flows into the river of the same name. A peasant from Kadnikovsky district suffered from lameness for many years, and no one could help him. But then one day, in a subtle dream, a certain voice commanded him to find the image of the Most Pure Mother in the bell tower of the Theological Church, where the old icons were kept, and to pray before it for healing. The peasant asked several times to be allowed into the bell tower, but they did not believe his words. Only the third time they allowed him to climb the bell tower. It turned out that the icon, covered with rubbish and dirt, served as a step on a staircase, and the bell ringers walked on it as if on a simple board. Horrified by the involuntary blasphemy, the clergy washed the icon and served a prayer service in front of it, after which the peasant received healing. Many more years passed, generations changed, they began to forget about this miracle, but in 1830 the Vologda province, like most of European Russia, suffered terrible epidemic cholera. 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.
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 cave Resurrection Belogorsk Monastery near Pavlovsk. The Italians called her “Madonna del Don” (“Madonna of the Don”; this image should not be confused with Our Lady of the Don). After the Ostrogozh-Rossoshansky offensive of Soviet troops in January 1943, the remnants of the defeated Italian corps left the borders of our country. Chaplain Policarpo took the “Madonna of the Don” with him to Italy, where a chapel was built especially for her in Mestre (mainland Venice), which still remains a place of mass pilgrimage for relatives and friends of Italian soldiers who died in Russia.
Finally, another miraculous icon of a similar type was in the cathedral of the city of Zhizdra in the southwest of the Kaluga province, near the Bryansk lands, and was known as “Passionate” or “And a weapon will pierce your very soul,” as it was listed in the cathedral inventory. She was also celebrated on August 13 - on the same day as the “Seven Arrow” and the much more widespread “Passion” icon of a completely different type (the original miraculous image was located in the Moscow Passion Monastery; on it, near the face of the “Hodegetria”, two Angels with instruments of the passion were depicted of the Lord - with a cross, a sponge and a spear). In contrast to such passionate ones, on the Zhizdrinsk icon the Most Pure One is written in a prayerful position; With one hand She supports the Child lying at Her feet, and with the other she covers Her chest from seven swords aimed at it.
Troparion, tone 4
Soften our evil hearts, Mother of God, and extinguish the misfortunes of those who hate us, and resolve all the tightness of our soul, for looking at Your holy image, we are touched by Your suffering and mercy for us and we kiss Your wounds, but we are horrified by the arrows of ours, who torment You. Do not let us, O Compassionate Mother, perish in our hard-heartedness and from the hard-heartedness of our neighbors, for You are truly the Softener of evil hearts.
Prayer
O Long-suffering Mother of God, Higher than all the daughters of the earth, in Your purity and in the multitude of sufferings You have endured on earth, accept our much-painful sighs and keep us under the shelter of Your mercy. For you do not know other refuge and warm intercession, but, 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.
Many people know that beloved and revered by all Orthodox people The icon “Softening Evil Hearts” has a sister named “Semistrelnaya”. Outwardly, they are very similar; both depict the image of the Virgin Mary with seven swords or arrows pierced into her chest. The Russian Orthodox Church, considering them to be editions (varieties) of a common iconographic type, recognizes their identity and unites the days of celebration. Talking about one of them, it is impossible not to remember the other.
Are there any differences between these two icons?
The external difference between the “sisters” is only that the icon “Softening Evil Hearts,” a photo of which is presented at the beginning of the article, depicts the Mother of God with three swords stuck on the left, three on the right, and one on the bottom. The “Seven Shot” icon depicts four swords on the left and three on the right. However, this feature is often ignored by icon painters. Often you see an inscription on an icon that does not correspond to the location of the swords. By the way, sometimes there can be arrows instead of swords. What does this weapon symbolize, piercing the chest of the Blessed Virgin? IN Orthodox Church Two interpretations of this image have been accepted.
Gospel interpretation of the image
The first of them relates this symbolism to a famous episode from the New Testament. The Gospel tells how on the appointed day the Baby Jesus was brought to the temple, as required by the Law of Moses. In the temple, the Mother of God with Jesus in her arms and her betrothed Joseph were met by an old priest named Simeon. He was righteous and spent his life in fasting and prayer.
For many years, the words of the Holy Scriptures lived in his soul, which predicted the birth of the Son of God from a virgin. Seeing Mary with Jesus in her arms, he saw God in him through the Holy Spirit. Filled with the consciousness of the fulfilled prophecy, Simeon turned to Mary with words in which he told about the greatness of what had happened, but predicted Her suffering as a result of the atoning sacrifice made by Her son.
Simeon's prophecy
In his words addressed to Mary, he likened suffering to a weapon piercing the soul. Similar interpretation gave rise to the fact that the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” received another, unofficial, name - “Simeon’s Prophecy.” It is no coincidence that suffering is represented in the form of swords, and in some icons - arrows. In any version, a weapon is a symbol of shed blood.
The answer to the question of why it is customary to depict seven swords on an icon can be found in biblical texts. The number seven always symbolizes the completeness and redundancy of something. It is precisely the fullness of the suffering of the Mother of God, who saw her Son crucified on the cross for atonement for the sins of the whole world, that should be expressed by the seven swords piercing Her chest.
The Orthodox Church also accepts a different interpretation of the image. In accordance with it, the icon expresses the suffering of the Mother of God caused to Her by human sins. The number seven symbolizes the seven deadly sins spoken of in the Holy Scriptures. This topic is so important that it is worth dwelling on it in more detail.
Sins that destroy a person's soul
It is curious that in the early tradition christian church East, the so-called “eight-fold” scheme for calculating sins was adopted. It became “septenary”, accepted in our church, only in the 6th century. It was introduced by Pope Gregory I, who went down in history under the name Gregory the Great. In some modern schemes the order of sins leading to the destruction of the soul changes, but pride is always recognized as the most serious of them. It is she who pushes people to a variety of unseemly acts, and sometimes even to crimes. Following pride are listed stinginess, envy, anger, lust, gluttony (gluttony) and despondency. It is not by chance that it is included in this black list. Dejection is always generated by a person’s lack of faith in the omnipotence of God and His help.
Where did the image come from?
“Softening Evil Hearts” is an icon of North Russian origin. Tradition says that the creation of the original miraculous image dates back to ancient times. However, analysis of the icon, painted on a canvas pasted on a board, forces us to attribute its appearance to XVIII century. Obviously this is a list made from an earlier example. In pre-revolutionary years, the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” was located in one of the monasteries in the Vologda province.
The legend of the acquisition of a miraculous image
Tradition has preserved history for us miraculous phenomenon this image. It tells how a peasant who lived near Vologda for many years suffered from lameness. No matter how much he turned to doctors and healers, he received no help. He had already humbled himself and was ready to bear this cross until the end of his days.
But then one day in a dream, a peasant heard a mysterious voice, commanding him to go to the Theological Church for healing, and there, in the bell tower, where the old, dilapidated icons were kept, to find the image of the Most Holy Theotokos and pray in front of it. With all his soul the peasant believed what he heard and went to church. However, it took a long time to persuade the clergy to allow him to undertake the search. Only after asking three times did they go up to the bell tower with him.
Here, to their horror, they actually discovered an icon of the Virgin Mary, covered with a layer of dirt. It was used as a simple board on the stairs. This was the icon “Softening Evil Hearts.” There was obvious sacrilege, because the image, even if old, was stepped on while climbing the stairs. When the icon was thoroughly washed, it was taken to the church and prayed for. Soon the lameness left the peasant.
A new miracle revealed by the icon
Miracles revealed by holy icons are not uncommon in Rus'. So the miraculous icon “Softening Evil Hearts” could have been lost among other holy images, if not for a new miracle that glorified it. In previous centuries, epidemics often occurred in our country, sometimes claiming tens of thousands of lives. One such epidemic occurred in 1830. Having captured the North of Russia, it caused terrible devastation in Vologda.
With the blessing of the ruling bishop, the icon of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” was transferred to Vologda and placed in one of the churches of the city. Pious townspeople greeted the shrine with a religious procession. The flow of people to her never ceased. This is not surprising, because the prayer to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” brought healing from illnesses and help in everyday troubles.
Unfortunately, the fate of the icon after the revolution is unknown. In 1930, the Church of St. John the Theologian, where the image was located, was closed, and services there resumed today. But that icon disappeared without a trace.
The appearance of a new miraculous icon
Nowadays, another miraculous image has been found, known as the “Softening Evil Hearts” icon, streaming myrrh. She is unique in many ways. First of all, this miraculous icon was made in a typographical way, which similar cases the phenomenon is quite rare. Only the providence of God, unknown to us, can explain the fact that this icon, bought in a simple church shop, was suddenly filled with a life unknown to us. Many who approached her testify: they were left with the feeling that they were communicating with a living being.
The miraculous appearance of this icon was preceded by tragic events. In the fall of 1997, another myrrh-streaming icon, the “Iverskaya-Montreal” icon, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. This happened on the day of the martyrdom of its guardian. However, it is gratifying to know that Holy Mother of God didn't leave Orthodox people. Through short time One pious Muscovite named Margarita bought the image “Softening Evil Hearts” in a church shop.
Icon exuding myrrh
At first glance, the icon was no different from other icons on display. The woman brought it home and placed it on a shelf among other images. Miracles began immediately. Margarita noticed drops appearing on the surface of the icon. It turned out that it was myrrh. The myrrh-streaming icon “Softening Evil Hearts” began to react to everything in some way important events happening in the world.
Before the explosions of houses in the capital in 1999, it was noticed that the face of the Virgin Mary on the icon suddenly changed. Dark circles under the eyes became sharply visible, and the smell of incense spread throughout the apartment. On the day of the tragic death of the Kursk submarine, bleeding wounds appeared on the surface of the image. From then on, it was like this: the image constantly streams myrrh, and on the eve of tragic events it becomes covered with drops of blood.
There is also plenty of evidence that praying to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” brings healing from illnesses. Similar facts are entered in a special journal.
World famous miraculous image
Now the icon “Softening Evil Hearts,” whose importance is constantly growing, travels a lot around the world. A precious ark was made for her, and a chapel was built in the Moscow region. When the election of the new Patriarch of All Rus' took place in Moscow in 2009, the myrrh-streaming icon was in the hall where this historical event took place.
The wonderful properties of the image are also manifested in the fact that it literally chooses its own travel routes. The keeper of the icon - the husband of the same Margarita to whom the image appeared - testifies to the fact that it is impossible to outline anything in advance. Everything happens according to the will of invisible forces. What seemed simple turns out to be unrealistic, and the incredible is accomplished easily and simply. The icon “Softening Evil Hearts,” the photo of which ends the article, is this famous icon. She never stops helping people.
Troparion to the miraculous icon
The troparion to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” amazes with the depth of feeling and thought contained in it. Even people who are not churchgoers, but who have a sensitive soul and a kind heart, cannot listen to him indifferently. It is very characteristic that it begins with a request for the softening of our own hearts and ends with words about deliverance from death in our own hard-heartedness and the hard-heartedness of our neighbors. The great truth is contained in this troparion: the path to improving the world begins with oneself, but one should follow this path only with the help of God.
Akathist to the miraculous image
In terms of spiritual mood, the akathist to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” is also close to the troparion. In printed publications, its text is preceded by an indication that it should be read in case of any manifestations of hostility, be it confrontation in the family or at work. They resort to it when someone tries to rise above others or humiliate their neighbor. And although by its nature the akathist is, first of all, a hymn of praise, everywhere one can see the idea that we are God’s creations and are powerless without his help. Created in the image and likeness of God, we must be worthy of our Creator and His Most Pure Mother.
Icon from the Don shores
There is one associated with the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” interesting story which occurred during the Second World War. On the banks of the Don, near the city of Pavlovsk, there was an Italian military unit that fought on the side of the Germans. Soviet artillery fired massively at the area where the Italians were located. Wanting to hide from the fire and save themselves from certain death, the soldiers hid in chalk caves, which are found in abundance on the banks of the river. And then one of the Italians found an ancient icon in the cave labyrinths.
This was one of the copies from the “Softening Evil Hearts” icon. When the fire died down, he took it to the regimental chaplain. Italians are also Christians, although they profess Catholicism. The chaplain, realizing the value of the find, placed the icon in the camp church. It soon became clear that the found icon had previously been located in a cave monastery blown up by the Bolsheviks. The Italians called it the Don Icon in honor of the river on the banks of which they found it.
The miraculous image brought these Italians alive from the fire of that terrible war, who had become bargaining chips in someone else’s ruthless political game. Veterans of the regiment testified that they saw their relatives again only thanks to the intercession of the Mother of God, sent down through the icon, which they continue to call Donskaya.
Thus, the Most Pure Mother of God shows her help and mercy through icons that are very close and similar, like sisters. These are the “Softening of Evil Hearts”, the “Seven Arrow” icon and the “Donskaya” icon, now kept in Italy. They belong to a single iconographic type and are united in their spiritual content.
That's how amazing it is - the ancient icon “Softening Evil Hearts.” What does she protect us all from? Probably from ourselves, from our malice and anger. And if, after prayers addressed to the icon, the heart of each of us softens, then the arrows of suffering will stop piercing the chest of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Modern youth is far from church life, knows little about the concept of supplication and the various saints. Many have not even heard of the images “Seven Arrows” and “Softening Evil Hearts.”
Although there is a widespread belief that these are the same icon, there are several subtle nuances, namely the placement of the arrow-swords.
The history of the origin of the icon revered by believers is shrouded in legends and mysteries to this day.
The arrows on the “Seven Arrows” icon pierce the heart of the person depicted and enter on both sides. On “Softening” there are three.
There are only seven arrows on both icons, because this number is symbolic, meaning the pain of the Mother of God, as well as seven sins. By wounding the heart of the Mother of God, they entail her torment, just as they entail torment and anger in the souls of people.
These arrows also mean bloodshed, the victim of which will fall her son Christ, the Savior of our souls and martyr.
The icon “Softening Evil Hearts” usually represents the Most Pure Mother of God with arrows in her chest. Also, this image can be found in a variation when she is depicted together with Jesus Christ in the form of a baby sitting on her lap.
These icons are a talisman for any room. If such an icon is located in the house, evil and envious people will no longer visit it.
If a person with bad intentions appears on the threshold of your house, who is dissatisfied with your happiness and, consciously or unconsciously, is trying to harm, he will soon feel ill and leave the room. It is best for the icon to “see” the entrance to the home.
Rules for reading prayer
The prayer “Softening Evil Hearts” entails calm, harmony of soul and body. You can pronounce it anywhere, be it a church or an apartment.
The day is not important: special Orthodox holiday optional for conversation with the saint. The main thing is that the face of the Mother of God is before your eyes.
If your soul is uneasy, read it at least on a daily basis. But, if you are not in the mood and don’t want to turn to the Virgin Mary or simply want to be alone with yourself, you should not turn to the Saint, as if doing her a favor.
Before turning to the icon with prayer words, it is recommended to light three church candles. When reading a prayer, it is important to look at the flames.
When reading a prayer, it is important not just to pronounce the memorized words, like a spell, but to delve into the texts, passing them through yourself. Strong faith is important - without it, appeals to the Saints will not bring the expected positive fruits.
It is sincerity in your prayers that is the main guarantee that the spoken words will reach heaven. Due to lack of faith, insincere askers do not receive what they want, and subsequently question healing power prayers.
The original prayer of the seven-shot Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” has been preserved on Old Slavonic language, but, for convenience, was subsequently translated into modern Russian.
You don't have to learn it by heart. Interpretations are possible, depending on the specific request to the Saint. This is not a spell that needs to be pronounced word for word, but a request for the salvation of the soul.
You need to speak as if you were addressing a good old friend, but do not forget about respect. Read prayer words from the bottom of my heart. You can ask not only for yourself, but also for loved ones who need heavenly intercession.
Prayer text
“Virgin Mary of Grace, hear me, and let my kontakion to the chosen Virgin Mary, the Most High, be absorbed by you. Eradicate from my heart all anger and enmity, which I share among family members and direct towards my beloved.
Fill our human hearts with love, just as the heart of the Lord God is filled with it. Do not leave me, the son of God (daughter of God (name)) in the sorrows and temptations of the earth. Hear the prayer words of those who have it, protect our sorrowful earthly life from suffering, soften our hearts.
Receive us, give us the power of great knowledge about patience. Grant us the ability for forgiveness and mercy towards each other and towards our enemies, their hearts pray for help to higher powers.
Mother of God, who transforms our sorrow into joy, this prayer is addressed to you. We are touched by your suffering and mercy for us, and we kiss your wounds from the arrows of the devil with love to the children who are ready to do anything for their mother.
Rejoice, Mother, this powerful prayer is directed to you, may you hear it and come to the aid of us, believing Christians, your earthly children. Amen".
People turn to Our Lady not only when they want to improve relationships between people. Also, prayers are offered to her during military operations, when it is important to eliminate the enemy or weaken him in the name of victory.
“Mother of God, who softens the sufferings of her earthly children, I read this kontakion in your name. I appeal to you, all daughters of the Mother Earth, son of God.
I call upon him, (name): send an arrow to our enemies. If you help in the salvation of souls and bodies, we will sing your praises to all the Saints. Amen".
Situations in which turning to Our Lady will help
Prayers will bring about the following positive changes:
- overcoming hostile feelings and eliminating them;
- eliminating evil envious people;
- victory over all sorts of ailments;
- relieving stress and calming nerves;
- expulsion of anger and outbursts of anger.
With the help of prayers, you can also get rid of quarrels and scandals among family, between friends and lovers. Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos will protect you from unexpected aggression, because all unjustified intolerance towards others is the machinations of the Devil, who is trying to capture our sinful souls.
Prayer also helps to cope with loneliness. When your soul is bad, you need support from the outside, and there is no one to ask for help, talk to the icon of the Mother of God about all the exciting events in your life, ask her for advice.
When you contact her, a solution to the problem will appear in your head, as if by itself, which will become the only correct one. Do not doubt, this is a hint from higher powers that have heard your sincere prayers.
In addition, soon a companion may appear in your life who will pass with you life path side by side until the very end.
Having come into this world, into this incarnation, everyone lives their own life, but there are moments when we understand that not everything is going well and smoothly for us. We wonder - why is this happening?
Enemies who wish evil may also appear. And very often we pray to the Lord to help us understand such situations and turn to prayers and icons.
One of strongest prayers is the prayer “softening evil hearts”, which helps with illnesses - mental and physical. They pray in front of the icon “Softening Evil Hearts”, also known as “Simeon’s Prophecy” or “Seven Arrows”, which confirms with its name the prophecies of Simeon the God-Receiver of the Mother of God, who lived a righteous life. Presumably, his image is initially considered to have come from Southwestern Rus' more than five hundred years ago, but there is no exact information about the birth of the icon.
In the icon, the heart of the Mother of God is presented with pierced swords - three on the right, three on the left and one below, thereby confirming the entire measure of the sadness of her earthly existence.
The seven-shot icon is close and identical in image to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts”, differing in the writing of swords - there are three swords on the right side of the Mother of God, and four on the left.
The swords depicted on the icon are also interpreted as the 7 deadly sins, and one must pray for the softening of evil hearts before the image of the Mother of God in atonement for these sins.
Examples of healing
Believers venerate this icon, which confirms its power in healing from all kinds of ailments. This is how a peasant from the Vologda province suffering from lameness was healed. Treatment and healers could not help him, and the voice he heard during sleep directed him to the bell tower of the Ionian Theological Church, where the icon of the Mother of God was located. Thanks to persistent searches, the icon was found upside down in the form of a staircase board. After bringing the image into proper form, a prayer service was served in front of it, and a miracle happened - the sick peasant was healed, and there were many such examples later.
This miraculous icon, surrounded by a religious procession around Vologda, stopped the cholera epidemic in 1830, justifying people’s hopes and giving even more faith in it. One of them is also the veneration of the healing icon of Italian believers. The story tells how, during the Patriotic War, Italian mountain rifle soldiers serving in a unit in Belogorye - the south of the Voronezh region - came across a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary and handed it over to Father Policarpo, who served as the military priest of the unit.
According to eyewitnesses, the icon formerly belonged to the Resurrection Belogorsk Monastery. The Italians called her the “Don Madonna,” and upon returning to her homeland, Father Policarpo brought her with him to a chapel specially built for her, which receives all those mourning the Italians who died in Russia.
Let Faith into your soul
The Orthodox Church of Rus' considers them representatives of the same type of execution of icons and, accordingly, the days of their veneration were united - August 13, according to the new style on August 26, and on the week of All Saints. It is then that the spoken prayer is considered especially effective.
That is why they recommend turning to an Angel with a pure heart and a bright soul to soften evil hearts. Pray only if you believe. If doubt has crept into your heart, then prayer should be postponed altogether until it is again filled with pious desires.
A sincere prayer to soften evil hearts, said in front of the icon, improves family relationships, protects from anger and mental irritation, from attacks by enemies - the request will always be heard.
Prayer for the icon “Softening Evil Hearts”
“O long-suffering Mother of God, Higher than all the daughters of the earth, in Your purity and in the multitude of sufferings You have brought to the earth, accept our much-painful sighs and keep us under the shelter of Your mercy. Do You know of no other refuge and warm intercession, but, as one who has the boldness to be one of You? born, help and save us with your prayers, so that we may without stumbling reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing praises to the one God in the Trinity, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen."
It is best to light a church candle. In this way you will improve your concentration and also make the face on the icon seem alive. Even scientists note that visualization helps to fulfill dreams, and in particular, soften evil hearts.
