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Prayer to the Mother of God from evil hearts. Prayer to the icon of the “seven-shot” Mother of God “Softening evil hearts”

Celebration of All Saints Sunday (first Sunday after Trinity)

If you are offended at work or at home, if you are tired of attacks from 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 on their own and good relationships will improve.

Nadezhda Dmitrieva

From the book “He Rejoices in You!”

"Softening evil hearts“... There is so much hope in the name of this icon - the hope that someday 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 Joseph and Mary, on the fortieth day after the birth of the Child, brought Him to the Jerusalem Temple, Simeon also came there “by inspiration,” took the Child in his arms (hence the nickname God-Receiver) and uttered the famous words with which every Vespers service has ended since then. and which are known as the Prayer of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver: “Now dost thou dismiss thy servant, O Master, according to thy word, in peace...”

Afterwards, he blessed Saint Joseph and the Most Pure Mother and turned to Mary with the same Simeon’s prophecy: “Behold, this One is destined for the fall and uprising of many in Israel and for the subject of controversy, and a weapon will pierce your own soul, so that the thoughts of many may be revealed.” hearts."

Just as Christ was 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 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 running 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, their hostile feelings soften, giving way to mercy, internecine warfare and enmity subside.

Origin of the icon

The image of “Softening Evil Hearts” apparently comes from Southwestern Rus', however historical information Unfortunately, there is no information about him; it is not even known where and when the icon appeared. Icon Holy Mother of God“Softening Evil Hearts” is written with swords stuck into Her heart - three on the right and left, one on the bottom. The number "seven" in Holy Scripture usually means 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, the icon, is also very close to the “Softening of Evil Hearts” Mother of God"Seven-shot" 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.

Miracles

“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 get up. 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 Toshna were transferred to Vologda and placed in the “cold” (summer) church of Dmitry Prilutsky on Navolok. Then the Christ-loving residents of Vologda turned to the “Semistrelnaya” and, together with other shrines, surrounded it with a solemn ceremony. procession around the city. Cholera retreated as suddenly as it had come.

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 Voronezh region, in the area known as Belogorye, there were Italian mountain rifle units who 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-Rossoshan offensive Soviet troops in January 1943, the remnants of the defeated Italian corps left 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 the same 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 5

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 the arrows of ours, who torment You. Do not let us, O Compassionate Mother, perish in our hard-heartedness and from the hard-heartedness of our neighbors, for You are truly the Softener of evil hearts.

Prayer

O many-spirited Mother of God, Higher than all the daughters of the earth, in Your purity and in the multitude of sufferings You have transferred to the earth, accept our much-painful sighs and keep us under the shelter of Your mercy. For you do not know other refuge and warm intercession, but, because you have the boldness to be born of You, help and save us with Your prayers, so that we may without stumbling reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing praises in the Trinity to the One God, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

The icon of the Mother of God of Seven Arrows is recognized as one of the most miraculous. For several hundred years, Orthodox Christians have been reading prayers near this image, turning to the Blessed Mother for help if there were riots and riots, uprisings and unrest in the country. The prayer of the Seven Shot Mother of God helps to find peace and happiness, prevent strife and prevent quarrels. With its help, it is easy to renew relationships with people, avoid quarrels and enmity.

The universal veneration of the holy image of the Seven-Shot Mother of God falls on August 26th. This is the day when Vologda was saved from cholera in the most miraculous way. In 1830, the townspeople prayed fervently in front of the icon, then made a procession of the cross, circumnavigating the city. The prayers of the townspeople were heard, and the Mother of God of the Seven Shots saved Vologda from a terrible fate.

Sincere prayer in front of an icon can alleviate mental and physical suffering, end strife and improve relationships with friends, family and loved ones.

Most often, they pray to the icon in cases when someone’s heart has been enslaved by anger, when it is necessary to reconcile the warring parties and save people from inappropriate struggle. A sincere appeal to the Most Holy Theotokos will be most effective and efficient. Prayer must come straight from the heart.

The Miracle of Prayer

In the process of turning to God, a Christian receives heavenly grace, gains divine blessing, and purifies the soul, mind and heart. In the process of praying in front of the holy image, the believer understands himself, looks into his soul, opening it to the gaze of angels.

Prayer for the icon “Seven Arrows”

“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 in the Trinity to the one God, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen."

The seven-shot Blessed Virgin Mary renders special help believers. It rids people's hearts of anger, pacifies human characters, saves them from misfortunes and strengthens the faith of earthly inhabitants in miracles.

What do they ask Our Lady for?

In addition to the basic requests to protect the heart from anger, Orthodox Christians often read prayers to the icon of the Seven Shot Mother of God to ask the saints for health. Very often, the cause of all diseases is hatred, envy and malice, ingrained in the hearts of people. The Mother of God delivers her children from sinful torment, bestowing good health.

They often turn to people for good luck. The psalms addressed to the Seven-Shot Mother of God are universal - they contain the main requests of humanity, which are aimed at the health of the soul.

Thus, the image of the Most Holy One brought salvation to humanity for several centuries, performing many miracles. However, in the post-revolutionary period, the Miraculous Image disappeared, but the Mother of God continues to help those in need to this day. Anyone can pray to the myrrh-streaming image in Moscow on the Maiden Field by visiting the Church of the Archangel Michael.

The icon “Softening Evil Hearts” is one of the most revered in the Orthodox world. Her veneration is associated with miraculous powers capable of healing physical and spiritual ailments.

The famous icon has a second name—Simeon’s Prophecy—and is similar to the Seven Shots. However, on the last one the swords are written differently: three on the right and four on the left side of the Mother of God’s heart.

History of the icon

The image of the Mother of God, according to some surviving data, came to us from Southwestern Rus'. However, there is no exact historical data on this matter - only guesswork by scientists and icon painters, as well as popular rumor.

Where is the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” located?

You can venerate the image in the Church of the Archangel Michael, which is located in the city of Moscow, as well as in the city of Vologda, in the Church of St. Lazarus. There is another image in the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God in the Moscow region, in the village of Bachurino.

Description of the icon

The icon depicts the Mother of God, whose heart is pierced by seven swords - three on the right and left, one on the bottom. The number seven in the Holy Scriptures usually means the completeness, redundancy of something, and in this case, the fullness and vastness of the grief, sadness and pain that the Mother of God experienced during Her earthly life. Sometimes the Baby is depicted on the lap of the Most Pure Virgin.

What does an icon help with?

Orthodox Christians pray in front of this icon of the Mother of God in the hope of improving relationships with others, between loved ones: children and relatives, spouses and parents. The icon is designed to protect everyone from someone else’s manifestation of aggression, soften the hearts of believers and give them the opportunity to atone for their sins. They pray before the icon during periods of unfavorable conditions in the world, during illnesses, civil strife and wars.

Prayers before the icon of the Mother of God

“O most holy and sorrowing Mother of God, I appeal to you in my great sorrow. The servant of God (name) asks you, all-merciful protector of the human race! Do not reject my sincere prayers, protect me from human wrath, deliver me from persecution and turn your gaze on me, a sinner. Soften my heart, drive out of it the blackness that is not worthy of the true son of God, and guide me along the right road, freed from filth and leading to the kingdom of God. Amen".

“Mati, soften our evil hearts, extinguish the anger directed at us. Heal our ailments, those of our loved ones, and those who hate us. Just as we forgive their sins and do not take upon ourselves sin for their repentance, so do you pray for us sinners before the Almighty Lord. We are touched by your compassion and mercy, we offer righteous prayers, and let us not forget about your true purpose, which protects the human race. Amen".

Days of Honor

The celebration of the icon takes place on February 15, and the main day of veneration is the first Sunday after Trinity. On this day, a divine service is held, and every Orthodox Christian can pray for himself and his loved ones, asking the Mother of God for protection and patronage.

Each icon has its own meaning, and each can be venerated in need and despair. We wish you true happiness, love, and do not forget to press the buttons and

The icon “Tenderness of Evil Hearts” depicts the Virgin Mary. Seven swords are pointed at her, symbolizing suffering, pain, and human sins. The image has " sister"under the name "Semistrelnaya". She is depicted similarly with one difference - the arrows are located on both sides (on the left - 3, on the right - 4), and in “Softening Evil Hearts” one of the swords is located at the bottom.

Experts in icon painting identify the two images. You can often find the names of one under the image of the other. Such an error is not considered gross. The celebration of “Seven Arrows” and “Softening 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 have been preserved about its history.

Analysis of the image painted on canvas pasted on a board made it possible to determine that it dates back to the 18th century. This is evidenced by the type of paints and their condition. It is obvious that the examined canvas is a copy of 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 that 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 themselves in danger.

Gospel interpretation

On the appointed day, the Mother of God brought her baby to the temple - this was required by the Mosaic Law. The priest there, 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 and realized that the newborn was the Son of God. Simeon told Mary about the greatness of her baby, but warned her that she would suffer because of the sacrifice her son would make.

“And a weapon will pierce your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed,” the prophet compared mental suffering to 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 - like seven sinful passions that threaten a person and destroy the soul: anger, envy, gluttony, adultery, despondency, greed, pride. During difficult trials, they also threatened the Virgin Mary during her earthly life. But she did not succumb to sins and walked her path with a humble soul and faith in the Almighty. It is believed that through “Softening Evil Hearts,” the Mother of God is able to discern any of the sinful feelings in a person and help get rid of them. The icon of the Mother of God reminds us that we need to steadfastly endure all the hardships of life, believing in God and humbly submitting to 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 from lameness almost all his life - neither doctors, nor healers, nor prayers helped. He had already lost hope of being cured and humbly carried his cross. One day, in a dream, a holy face came to him, who ordered him to visit the local Theological Church and find the image of the Virgin Mary in the bell tower, where the oldest icons were kept.

At first, the priests did not believe the man and refused to let him into the ancient shrines. He came three times and only on the third time did they take pity on him and go 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 and was covered with dirt, which is why it was not noticed before. It was an unforgivable sacrilege - they walked on the holy face with their feet. She was immediately washed and a prayer ceremony was performed. Chromata left the person.

Miracles

In 1830, an epidemic raged in the North of the Empire terrible disease. It literally devastated Vologda and its outskirts. The ruling bishop at that time blessed the religious procession. “Softening 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, it was hidden in the Church of St. John the Theologian. It was closed and resumed its work relatively recently. But this shrine was not there.

“Softening Evil Hearts” - a new miraculous shrine

The discovery of one of the miraculous images happened in our days. In 1997, something tragic happened for Orthodox world event - “Iverskaya-Montreal” was stolen myrrh-streaming icon. She mysteriously disappeared on the day of her guardian's death. After some time, the pious Russian woman Margarita bought the image “Softening Evil Hearts” in one of the church shops.

Anticipation of disasters

At first glance, the shrine was no different from the others. But soon it began to flow myrrh. Moreover, she did not do this haphazardly, but reacted to important events happening in the world. The face of the Virgin Mary changed when in 1999 Moscow was rocked by house explosions - black circles were clearly visible under her eyes, and the smell of incense began to be heard throughout 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 were never left by the feeling of communicating with a living being who understands and sympathizes with them.

The shrine's wanderings around the world

Now the icon is 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 Rus'.

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

What do they pray to the image for?

Many people are interested in what the image helps with. The Most Holy Mother of God is our common mother, intercessor before God and the Son. Her image on “Softening Evil Hearts” is prayed for various things:

so that the evil thought, intention leaves or rids one’s ill-wishers of them;
return to true spiritual path, remove doubts in your faith that appear in difficult situations;
Many prayers to the shrine are aimed at getting rid of diseases and protecting 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 request is conveyed with pure thoughts, from the bottom of the heart - then it will definitely be heard and passed on to the Savior.

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, the cholera epidemic was stopped 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. History tells how in the years Patriotic War Italian mountain rifle soldiers serving in a unit in Belogorye - the south of the Voronezh region - came across the 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”

It is best to light a church candle. In this way, you will improve your concentration and also make the face on the icon appear visually alive. Even scientists note that visualization helps to fulfill dreams, and in particular, soften evil hearts.