"Seven Arrows" Icon of the Mother of God
On the Seven Arrows Icon, the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted without the Divine Infant. She inclines her head toward her right shoulder, and her heart is pierced with seven arrows or swords, of which four are on the left side and three on the right. A similar image of the Mother of God is also found on the icons "Softener of Evil Hearts," and "Simeon's Prophecy," on which the swords are placed somewhat differently: three on the right and left, and the seventh at the bottom.
The "Seven Arrows" Icon is at least 600 years old. For a long time, the holy image was at the landing in the bell tower of the church of the Apostle John the Theologian (near Vologda). The Icon, facing downward, was mistaken for an ordinary board on which people walked, until a paralyzed man in the city of Kadnikov had a vision in which it was revealed that he would receive healing after praying before this Icon. A Moleben was served before the Icon, and the man recovered.
The Icon became especially famous in 1830 during an outbreak of cholera in Vologda.
The real, authentic image (the "Seven Arrows" Icon) is now in the church of Saint Lazarus, in Vologda. The Icon has been in that temple since 1945, after the Great Patriotic War.
Muscovites can pray before the wonderworking copies located in the Moscow region. There are two images of the "Seven Arrows" Mother of God. Both exude an amazing myrrh - an oily liquid which inexplicably appeared on them.
The first copy of the "Seven Arrows" Icon is now in the church dedicated to the Holy Archangel Michael, located in Moscow. The second copy is in the village of Bachurino in the Moscow region.
The Feast Day of this Icon is celebrated on August 13, and on the Sunday of All Saints (First Sunday after Pentecost).
The same Troparion and Kontakion are used for the "Seven Arrows" Icon (August 13), and the "Softener of Evil Hearts" Icon (Sunday of All Saints).